Box Score

WASHINGTON – Colgate for the second game running received great production from its 3-point shooters.

But the Raiders couldn't slow American's do-everything guard, Alexis Dobbs, and the Eagles matched Colgate's long-range effort in a 72-55 Patriot League decision here Saturday.

Colgate and American scored nine 3-point baskets apiece. For the Raiders, that total was one shy of the season-high 10 they made Wednesday against Holy Cross. But Colgate for the second straight game also shot better from 3-point distance than from inside the arc.

The Raiders were 9-of-23 from 3-point land for 39.1 percent, and 10-of-32 inside the arc for 31.3 percent. Wednesday night, it was 38.5 percent from long range to 23.8 percent closer in.

"Once we start putting in the easy ones and the layups, the offense will start clicking a little bit more," said senior forward Catherine Lewis, who was 4-of-8 from downtown and tied for team honors with 12 points.

Colgate's 3-point shooting trio of Lewis, Missy Repoli and Mariah Jones did the damage once again for the Raiders. Lewis tied a career high with four made bombs, while Repoli added three and Jones a pair. For their careers, all three are inside the school's top-10 in made 3-pointers – Jones seventh with 94, Lewis tied for eighth with 93 and Repoli 10th with 87.

"We were able to get some good looks and we gave ourselves some good opportunities from three," Raiders head coach Nicci Hays Fort said.

Dobbs scored 21 points for the Eagles and led her team in assists and rebounds. The senior was 4-of-4 from 3-point distance and 5-of-5 at the free-throw line to go with her five rebounds and five assists.

"Dobbs is very good," Hays Fort said. "If she's not the best player in the Patriot League, she's one of the best. We did a really good job on her for the first 18 minutes of the first half. Then when we went on our run in the second half and they needed an answer, she was the one again.

'There's a reason she's always first team All-Patriot League. She's a really great player."

Early Foul Trouble
Colgate scored the game's first five points as Lewis connected from long range and Carole Harris banked home a 10-footer. American rebounded for a 6-5 lead before Colgate went back in front again when Josie Stockill connected in the lane.

But early foul trouble sent first Harris and then Kelly Reid – returning to action after a four-game injury hiatus – to the Raiders bench and the scoring slowed. Colgate tallied only two points over the next eight minutes and fell behind 18-9 with 9:20 showing.

Randyll Butler scored on a layup and the Raiders were back within 25-19 with 2:05 to play. But Dobbs sparked a 7-0 American run with a midrange jumper and one of her four 3-pointers to help the Eagles go into the half leading 32-21.

The teams traded baskets early in the second half and American led 37-25 with 16:30 showing. That's when Colgate made its best run at the Eagles by outscoring them 14-5 over the next 3½ minutes.

The Raiders made four out of five from downtown during that stretch, with Jones swishing two of those and scoring eight of her 12 during that rally. Colgate's junior guard hails from nearby Silver Spring, Md., and was hearing quite a few cheers from the crowd.

Colgate had two more possessions trailing by five but couldn't convert, and American finally re-established its range as Dobbs hits three straight threes to help push the lead to 63-44 with 7:04 remaining. The Raiders drew no closer than 12 the rest of the way.

Colgate finished 19-of-55 from the field for 34.5 percent, and made 8-of-12 at the line. The Raiders posted 31 rebounds, 12 assists and 16 turnovers. American was 22-of-45 from the field for 48.9 percent, and an impressive 19-of-23 at the line. The Eagles had 35 rebounds, 18 assists and 15 turnovers.

C-Lew on Target
Jones and Lewis scored 12 points apiece to lead the Raiders. For Lewis, Saturday marked her eighth straight game with at least one made 3-point basket.

""It comes down to my teammates having confidence in me and sharing the ball with me, and also my coaches instilling that same confidence in me and telling me to keep shooting no matter what," said Lewis, who is 17-of-44 from downtown during her last eight games. "They make the plays; all I do is shoot the ball."

Harris scored 10, Repoli nine and Butler eight, with two points apiece from Reid and Stockill. Butler led in rebounds with eight and Jones in assists with five. Lauryn Kobiela did not play because of injury.

"We've got to find ways to overcome adversity," Hays Fort said. "We've had two starters miss playing time, and we've got to find ways to overcome that and make positive things happen."

In addition to Dobbs, Michelle Holmes scored 12 points and Arron Zimmerman 10. The Eagles moved into a second-place tie in the Patriot League at 3-1, with a 10-5 overall record.

Colgate fell to 4-11 and 0-4. The Raiders next host Boston University, which lost Saturday at home to Lafayette by a 68-63 score. The Terriers are 6-11 and 1-3.

"This was a tough loss here at American," Lewis said. "We had stretches where we played really well, and we've just got to keep looking forward and get ready to practice Monday focused on getting a win over BU."

Start time Wednesday from Cotterell Court is 7 p.m. It's Community Night, and the Jan. 9 edition of Mid-York Weekly newspaper contains a coupon that can be redeemed for up to four complimentary general admission tickets for the game. Coupons may be exchanged at the Colgate Athletics Ticket Office Wednesday during the day or when the box office opens for the game that night at 6 p.m.

Raider Reel: Former Raiders forward Lulu Brase '13 was in attendance Saturday. Brase is teaching 10th-grade English at The O'Neal School in Southern Pines, N.C. She also is coaching the girls junior varsity basketball team in her first year at the school.