University of Southern Maine players celebrate during their game against Johnson & Wales in the first round of the NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament on Friday in Brunswick. (Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer)

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BRUNSWICK — Of course, the University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team was nervous ahead of its NCAA Division III tournament game Friday.

Jaycie Christopher and Dakota Shipley had three pregame discussions to convince themselves otherwise, but the jitters still made an appearance at the start of a first-round matchup against Johnson & Wales.

Any lingering nerves were gone after the first quarter. The Huskies used a 17-4 run to take the lead and went on to a 62-46 win at Bowdoin College’s Morrell Gymnasium.

“A lot of times, we rely on our defense to give us some energy, and so today, we weren’t making shots for big stretches of the game, but we could rely on our defense and our rebounding to keep us in it,” Christopher said. “(We were) just trusting that, and trusting that shots are going to fall eventually.” 

Christopher led the balanced USM scoring attack with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Lucy Wiles (three steals) and Avah Ingalls (four assists) each contributed 11 points, while Izzy Morelli came off the bench and dropped in 10.

USM (26-2) will play Bowdoin or Emmanuel in the second round at 7:45 p.m. Saturday.

Tahlia Pena (14 points off the bench), Brianne Foley (13 points, five steals), Mikayla Caruso (12 points, 10 rebounds) paced Johnson & Wales (23-5). 

Johnson & Wales sophomore forward Grace Jaffray, the nation’s second leading scorer entering the game (23.7 ppg), was held scoreless. Christopher, the Little East Conference Player of the Year, was her primary defender. 

“The biggest thing for me is I trust my teammates,” Christopher said. “I know that I can apply pressure and really extend out, and I know that if she gets by, they have my back.”

USM led 34-18 at halftime and 45-37 entering the fourth. JWU used a 13-0 run in the third quarter to cut its deficit to 40-35, but the Wildcats would not get any closer. 

Shipley (eight points, 15 rebounds, three blocks) and Ingalls both sat for stretches in foul trouble, which gave Morelli a chance to contribute.

“She gave us a huge boost in the first half and in the second half,” USM coach David Chadbourne said. “And she’s just a freshman. She’s got a bright future ahead, but she was key for us.”