TOWSON, Md. (Interstat) — In a Colonial Athletic Association defensive struggle defined by grit over grace, the William & Mary women’s basketball team eked out a 52-51 victory over Towson on Friday night at SECU Arena, snapping a two-game skid in dramatic fashion.

The game, witnessed by an intimate crowd of 611, was a low-scoring affair where neither team could establish sustained offensive rhythm. William & Mary, now 12-9 overall, relied on a methodical, quarter-by-quarter consistency, scoring 14 points in each of the first three periods before grinding out the final 10 in the fourth. Towson, which fell to 12-10, saw its early momentum fade after building a 31-28 halftime lead, managing only 20 points in the entire second half.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the game’s final, chaotic 13 seconds. With William & Mary clinging to a one-point lead, Towson’s Zoli Khalil turned the ball over on a dribbling violation with 43 seconds remaining. The Tribe ran the clock down, but Natalie Fox missed a jump shot with 27 seconds left. Semaya Turner secured the defensive rebound for Towson, giving the Tigers a final chance.

Following a full timeout with 13 seconds on the clock, Towson inbounded the ball. The Tigers worked it to Tilda Sjökvist, whose contested jump shot from the wing missed as time expired. William & Mary secured the defensive deadball rebound to seal the narrowest of victories.

The contest was characterized by defensive stands and scoring droughts. William & Mary’s ability to convert turnovers into points proved a significant differential, outscoring Towson 11-4 off miscues. The Tribe also edged the Tigers in paint points, 20-16, in a game where interior scoring was hard-earned.

Kyah Smith led all scorers for William & Mary with 14 points, including a crucial three-pointer with just over three minutes remaining that gave the Tribe a 52-49 lead. Cassidy Geddes added 11 points for the visitors. Monet Dance contributed 10 points and was a persistent defensive presence.

For Towson, Masyn Marchbanks came off the bench to lead the team with nine points. India Johnston and Viki Matulevicius each added eight points, while Hannah Dereje and Kayla Morris chipped in six apiece. Morris also recorded three blocked shots, anchoring the Tigers’ interior defense.

The first half set the tone for the defensive battle. Towson led 16-14 after one quarter, powered by early inside buckets from Dereje. The Tigers extended their lead to seven points in the second quarter after a three-pointer from India Johnston made it 25-18, but William & Mary closed the half on a 10-6 run to stay within three.

The third quarter belonged to the Tribe, as they held Towson to just 10 points. A jumper from Smith at the third-quarter buzzer capped a period-ending 6-2 run and gave William & Mary a 42-41 edge heading into the final frame—their first lead since the game’s opening minutes.

The fourth quarter saw three lead changes and two ties. Towson briefly regained a 46-43 advantage after a Matulevicius three-pointer, but William & Mary responded with a 9-3 run, capped by Smith’s late three, to take the lead for good. Towson’s final points came on an India Johnston pull-up jumper with 1:11 remaining, setting the stage for the frantic, scoreless finish.

The win marked a resilient bounce-back for William & Mary following recent losses to Campbell and a narrow victory over UNC Wilmington. For Towson, it was a second consecutive conference defeat after falling at Elon last Sunday.

William & Mary travels to face Elon on Sunday. Towson will host Northeastern, also on Sunday. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Williamsburg on Feb. 15.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Towson entered the game with a 64.10 percent probability to win, making the Tribe’s road victory a slight upset in the tightly contested CAA standings.