NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Continuing to make history with each mounting victory, the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team became just the 10th program in NCAA Division III history to win 50 games in a row at home when the Captains downed Mary Washington (12-7) in front of over 800 fans at the Freeman Center on Wednesday night, 74-56. CNU used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference rivals and improve to 21-1 overall on the season. 

The game was in jeopardy heading into the final quarter when Christopher Newport held just a one-point lead over the Eagles, 53-52, but the hosts quickly erased any idea of an upset with one of the most impressive quarters of the season. The Captains outscored Mary Washington, 21-4, and allowed just a single field goal to count in the final ten minutes. The Eagles were held to 1-of-14 shooting in the final stanza while the veteran CNU starters shot 50 percent and pulled away. 

Coming into the game, the Captains' bench ranked number one in the nation in scoring at just under 40 points per game, but the reserves scored only 18 points on Wednesday. That proved to be the final margin against the Eagles, but the story of the game was the starting five. Due to various injuries impacting the first two-thirds of the season, Christopher Newport featured it's veteran core in the starting lineup together for the first time this season with Hannah Kaloi, Alivia Giles, Gabbi San Diego, Camille Malagar, and Katy Rader. 

Against the Eagles, four of the five finished in double figures. Rader logged her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Malagar poured in 19 points in 21 minutes including a career-high three triples. San Diego dished seven assists and scored 10 points, including a pivotal mid-range jumper to hold off an Eagles run. And Hannah Kaloi scored 10, but her defense alongside Alivia Giles held the talented Mary Washington front court in check defensively throughout the night.

Mary Washington scored the first basket of the game but would hold the lead for only 39 seconds as Malagar buried the first of her three treys on the Captains' second possession. From there, CNU built an 11-point lead in the first quarter, primarily on the shoulders of Malagar's hot start with seven points, an assist, and a steal. Her open court interception and run-out would be the final tally of the first quarter, giving CNU a 24-13 lead. 

In the second quarter, the visitors clawed back to within two, 26-24, but again it was Malagar with a highlight-reel play that kickstarted another CNU run. With the shot clock ticking down to its final few seconds, the senior guard received a feed from Ashley Steadman. Malagar hesitated to her right and then left her defender behind with a wicked step-back for three to from the right wing. After the teams traded turnovers, it was sophomore McKenna Snively's turn to fire up the crowd with a bomb from the right side, kicking the lead back up to eight, 32-24. Two possessions later, San Diego found Steadman for a top-of-the-key three-pointer as the Captains continued to hold off Mary Washington. 

Heading into the locker room, Christopher Newport got a buzzer-beating jumper in the lane from Nicole Timko off another feed by San Diego to give the home team a seven-point lead, 39-32. 

For the bulk of the third quarter, the teams were back-and-forth as CNU kept the Eagles at arm's length. The Captains held a 51-42 lead with 2:46 remaining before Mary Washington went on a big 10-2 run to cut the lead to one heading into the final period. From there, CNU took over. 

Starting off the fourth, Malagar knocked down a pair of free throws and then the Captains got a steal by Rader. After another foul, San Diego set up Malagar with her third make from beyond the arc and the lead was back up to six. CNU scored the first eight points of the fourth to re-establish a nine-point lead, 61-52, and would build on that after the only make of the quarter by the Eagles with 5:14 left. Jordan Carpenter finished out a three-point play that trimmed the lead back to six, 61-55, but ninety seconds later the lead was doubled. 

First, Hailey Kellogg finished with a runner off the glass from the base line and then San Diego hit a momentous mid-range from just off the elbow to give CNU the first double-digit lead since the first quarter. Wrapping up the quick burst was Hannah Kaloi, who sank a jumper in the lane on San Diego's seventh assist of the night. With a lead of a dozen and less than three minutes to go, Mary Washington was forced to foul and CNU iced the game from the free-throw line, hitting their final seven attempts from the line. 

Overall, the Captains had a tremendous day at the stripe, knocking down 22-of-26 attempts for 84.6 percent. From the field, CNU shot 46 percent (23-50) while holding Mary Washington to just 35.7 percent (20-56). The Captains' defense forced 23 turnovers and had 11 steals. 

The win marks 50 straight home victories for Christopher Newport as the Captains join only No. 1 South Carolina women's basketball, with 51 straight, and Division II Nova Southeastern men's basketball, with 55 straight, for the only active 50+ game home winning streaks in NCAA basketball. 

CNU and Mary Washington will match up again in one week as Christopher Newport makes the return trip to Fredericksburg on Wednesday, February 7.