Portell Sets W&M Single-Season Three-Pointers Record as Tribe Cruises Past Hofstra, 70-50

02/28/08 9:50PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Junior Courtney Portell broke the single-season school record for three-pointers made and helped lead the William and Mary women’s basketball team to a 70-50 victory against Hofstra at Kaplan Arena on Thursday evening.

Portell went 4-of-4 from beyond the arc and increased her season total to 66, breaking the previous record of 63 established by Yolanda Settles during the 1993-94 season.

In addition to Portell, senior Kyra Kaylor came up big with a game-high 19 points and eight rebounds. With the impressive offensive effort, Kaylor moved past the 1,800-point milestone for her career. Sophomore Tiffany Benson also played well and finished with 17 points and seven boards, while senior Devin James and freshman Katherine DeHenzel both tallied four steals apiece.

As a team, the Tribe (13-15, 7-9) shot 46.4 percent and limited the Pride (4-23, 2-14) to just 34.5 percent shooting. Additionally, W&M controlled the boards, 41-33, and registered 17 steals. The College also forced HU into 27 turnovers.

Hofstra scored the contest’s first five points and led, 8-3, at the initial media timeout. While the College still trailed by five, 11-6, with 13:00 showing, it charged back with an 8-0 run. Kaylor began the spurt with a layin, and Portell followed with a pair of three-pointers, including the record-breaking basket with 10:22 remaining in the half.

While the Pride briefly narrowed the margin to one, 14-13, the Green and Gold pushed the advantage to 21-13 with eight straight points. Kaylor converted a pair of layins during the stretch, while sophomore Robyn Barton punctuated the run with a three-pointer.

A jumper by Kaylor at the 4:12 mark gave the Tribe its biggest lead of the half, 25-16. However, HU cut the deficit to five during the remaining four minutes as W&M led 27-22 at the intermission.

Kaylor led all players with 11 points and six boards in the opening half. As a team, the Tribe limited Hofstra to just 32.0 percent shooting and totaled 11 steals. Additionally, the College forced the Pride into 15 turnovers.

While a three-pointer by Natty Fripp with one second remaining on the shot clock cut the margin to 29-25 early in the second half, the Tribe countered with a 7-0 run to go ahead, 36-25.

Hofstra briefly narrowed lead to seven, 36-29, with 15:53 remaining, but W&M utilized another 7-0 spurt to take a commanding 43-29 advantage. Portell sank her third three-pointer of the night during the stretch, while Benson and Kaylor also contributed offensively.

The College gradually extended the lead to as many as 21, and Hofstra was unable to get closer than 12 the rest of the way.

As a team, W&M shot 51.7 percent from the field in the second half.

The Tribe will return to action when it plays at Northeastern on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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