WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Endicott's women's basketball team led by as many as twenty points on Sunday afternoon  as they defeated host Eastern Connecticut State University 56-42 in the championship game of the ECSU Tip-Off Tourney Championship.

After taking a 4-2 lead, the Gulls stayed ahead for the final 37 minutes of play and improved their record to 2-0 on the young season.

Endicott junior Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) led the way for the Gulls with 15 points on 7-17 shooting. Her three-pointer with 3:42 left in the first half, one of two hit by Endicott players in the game, gave the Gulls a 27-10 lead, their biggest advantage before the break.

A 7-0 run to open the second half, capped by a three-pointer by Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.), gave the Gulls an 18 point lead at 38-20, and that lead did not dip below 14 until under two minutes left in the game.

White contributed 11 points, including 6-8 from the free-throw line, where Endicott as a team was 12-20.

Senior guard Jen McBrien had a game-high 14 rebounds, helping Endicott outrebounded the Warriors 51-29. Four of McBrien's boards were on the offensive glass, and Endicott's 16 offensive rebounds led to a 12-2 advantage in second chance points for the Blue and Green.

Shannon McCourt (New Fairfield, Conn.) and Taylor McBride (Willimantic, Conn.) each had 8 points for the Warriors, who shot 30% from the field.

Endicott shot 38.2% for the game, helped by freshman Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.), who went 3-7 from the field and scored 9 points.

Junior Jordan Ferland (Charlestown, N.H.) poured in eight points on 4-9 shooting to go with nine rebounds and a team-high 3 assists. Crough and White each had three blocks, with Crough picking up three steals as well.

The Gulls will travel to MIT on Tuesday evening for a 6:00 game against the Engineers before the Thanksgiving break.

The Warriors will play the same night at 7:00 pm at Emmanuel.