Michal Epstein scored all 14 of her points in the second half to help Providence overcome a 12-point Navy lead and defeat the Midshipmen, 70-62, last night in Burlington, Vt., in the Bank North Classic. It was the season-opening game for both teams.
Navy will play in today's consolation game against Yale.
"It was a valiant effort from our team tonight," said Navy coach Joe Sanchez. "We were right there the whole way against Providence. The mistakes we had were not from a lack of effort, and they are correctable."
The Mids rode hot shooting to take a 37-28 lead at intermission. Navy stretched its lead 41-28 early in the second half on an offensive rebound and a putback from Adrienne Roseti.
After a field goal by Lisa Steinmetz gave Navy a 43-35 lead, the Mids' offense struggled, not scoring again for nearly four minutes, by which time its lead was two.
Providence never led by more than four points until making six of six free throws in the final 78 seconds.
Navy's Courtney Davidson led all scorers with 19 points and had nine rebounds. Roseti had nine points and 10 rebounds.
Liberty 90, Morgan State 35: Crystal Peace was 7 of 9 from the field for 16 points as the Flames overwhelmed the cold-shooting Bears in both teams' opener.
Morgan had no players in double figures and shot just 26.3 perecent from the field.
West Virginia 76, Mount St. Mary's 63: Four Mountaineers were in double figures, led by Sherell Sowho's 15 points, in a win in both teams' opener.
Host Mount St. Mary's got 32 points from guard Adrienne Harris, who was 11 of 20 from the field, including 3-for-8 from three-point range.
Coppin State 68, Cornell 63: The Lady Eagles got a game-high 22 points and 13 recounds from junior LaKesha Wills as they defeated Cornell in the first round of the Seton Hall Classic in South Orange, N.J.
Coppin will play host Seton Hall today at 3 p.m. in the tournament final.
Slippery Rock 64, Bowie State 54, OT: The Bulldogs were held scoreless in overtime as they fell to the Rockets in the Avalon Classic in Erie, Pa.
Salisbury 82, Marymount 75: Amy Campion had 28 points and 12 rebounds and Pam Kenney had 23 points and 16 rebounds to help the Sea Gulls (1-0) overcome a halftime deficit and beat the Blue Jays (0-1) in the first round of the Marymount Tip Off Classic at the Verizon Sports Arena in Arlington, Va.
Baptist Bible 65, Villa Julie 52: In the first round of the Holiday Inn Scranton-East Tip-off Tournament, the Mustangs fell to the Defenders despite 27 points from Alicia Barnard.
Peace College 93, Hood 63: Brooke Johnson scored 21 to lift the host Pride over the Blazers in the Peace College Tipoff Tournament in Raleigh, N.C.
Goucher 76, Randolph-Macon 72: The Gophers were 0-for-7 on three-pointers until Stephanie Tolbert (31 points) hit one with six seconds left, helping Goucher (1-0) edge the Yellow Jackets (0-1) in a first-round game of the Coca-Cola Classic in Ashland, Va.
Messiah 77, Washington College 63: The Shorewomen were outscored 48-28 in the second half in a season-opening defeat by the Falcons in the first round of the Wingate Inn Tipoff Tournament in Grantham, Pa.
McDaniel 78, William Paterson 50: Senior guard Jen Piccolomini scored all 14 of her points in the first half to lead the Green Terror (1-0) over the Lady Pioneers (0-1) in the first round of the Vassar Invitational in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
College of Notre Dame 78, Rosemont 51: Senior Amanda Poppleton had a triple double, helping the host Gators beat the Ramblers in both teams' opener at the Women's Colleges Tip-Off Tournament.