Providence- January 20, 2025, On Martin Luther King Day, Brown faced off against Cornell in an intense matchup that saw Brown emerge victoriously, 49-39. Brown got off to a hot start, winning the opening tip and immediately finding their rhythm. Isabella Mauricio drained a three-pointer, and Alyssa Moreland added a free throw and a layup to give Brown an early 6-0 lead. The seven-minute mark of the first quarter, Cornell responded with Clarke Jackson’s jumper and Rachel Kaus’s layup, but Brown maintained control with Grace Arnolie answering with a jumper of her own. Cornell’s Paige Engles hit a clutch three-pointer to bring her team within one point at 8-7.
A big block by Brown’s Beth Nelson and Jackson answered with a jumper and gave Cornell their first lead, 9-8. Summer Parker-Hall added an and-one, and Paige Engles’ free throws extended Cornell’s lead to 14-8 before Mauricio’s three-pointer brought Brown back within striking distance. The second quarter was equally tight. Beth Nelson tied the game 14-14 with a three-pointer before Kelsey Langston gave Cornell the lead again. Brown’s Grace Arnolie ended the half with a strong and-one finish, sending the teams into half-time with Brown leading 22-19. The third quarter saw Brown take control. Grace Arnolie’s layup and Nelson’s defensive dominance extended their lead to 27-21. Despite turnovers by both teams, Brown held Cornell at bay. Cornell’s Rachel Kaus hit a free throw to close the gap to one point, but Paige Engles’ three-pointer gave Cornell a narrow 29-27 lead heading into the fourth.
Brown’s Isabella Mauricio came alive in the final quarter, scoring key buckets, including a layup and a three-pointer, to push her team ahead. Mauricio finished with 18 points, shooting an impressive 60% from the field, 50% from three, and 100% from the free-throw line. Notably, she scored her 1,000th career point during the game. Postgame, Brown’s Coach Monique LeBlanc praised her team’s defensive intensity and effort. “I’m so proud of the way we played on both ends of the floor, especially the way we locked in defensively.”
