WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (Interstat) — A dominant third-quarter surge and a commanding performance in the paint propelled the William & Mary women’s basketball team to a 79-68 victory over UNC Wilmington in a Colonial Athletic Association contest Sunday at Kaplan Arena.

The Tribe improved to 11-9 overall, while the Seahawks fell to 5-16.

The game’s decisive stretch came after halftime. Leading 34-30 at the break, William & Mary erupted for 24 points in the third quarter, outscoring UNCW by eight to build a 58-46 advantage heading into the final period. The Tribe shot efficiently throughout the frame, capitalizing on Seahawk turnovers and establishing an overwhelming 42-20 edge in points in the paint for the game.

William & Mary’s offensive balance and defensive presence proved too much for a UNCW team reliant on the scoring of guard Kylah Silver. Silver finished with a game-high 27 points for the Seahawks, but the Tribe countered with a multifaceted attack. Guard Alexa Mikeska led the way with 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Cassidy Geddes added 18 points and five assists, while Monet Dance scored 15 and Kyah Smith contributed 14.

The Tribe’s interior defense, anchored by center Jana Sallman, was a critical factor. Sallman, from Cairo, Egypt, recorded a formidable line of 10 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots, altering countless other attempts. Her presence helped limit UNCW to 39.3% shooting from the field.

UNC Wilmington guard Rori Cox posted a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, and Paige Smith added 19 points off the bench. The Seahawks, however, were hampered by 16 turnovers, which William & Mary converted into 17 points. The Tribe also connected on 10 of 25 three-point attempts compared to UNCW’s 8 of 24.

William & Mary set the tone early, closing the first quarter on a 5-0 run to take a 14-13 lead. They extended that margin to four by halftime despite Silver’s 12 first-half points. The third-quarter explosion then effectively sealed the outcome, as the Tribe lead never dipped below nine points in the fourth quarter.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 1,161. William & Mary’s victory followed the statistical prediction of Interstat’s ELO system, which gave the Tribe a 92.4% probability to win.

William & Mary next travels to face Towson on Friday. UNC Wilmington visits College of Charleston, also on Friday.