JOHNSON, Vt. – Clutch free throws, offensive putbacks, key defensive stops, and quick transition buckets were all keys to the Norwich University women's basketball team's slim 52-51 road victory over NVU-Johnson on Sunday afternoon at Carter Gymnasium.

If you were looking for entertainment on a Sunday afternoon, this game had it all. In a game that featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes, the final outcome was not evident until the last few seconds ticked off the clock.

The game did not start according to plan for the Cadets who fell behind early in the first quarter as the Badgers jumped out to a 10-2 lead by the 5:41 mark.

A combined seven points from juniors Riley Bennett (Hopkinton, N.H.) and Kailynne Frederick (Adams, Mass.) over the next four minutes brought the visitors back to within 12-9. The teams traded points in the waning moments of the opening quarter with the Cadets' junior guard Julia Vigorito (Malden, Mass.) notching the final points of the stanza on a layup to make it 16-13 Badgers.

NVU-Johnson (0-18) held the slimmest of leads through the first six minutes of the second quarter until Norwich (5-12) knotted the game at 20-20 with a pair of free throws by junior forward Caileigh Travers (Valley Cottage, N.Y.).

Another two made freebies from Bennett gave the Cadets their first lead of the game at 22-21 by the 2:26 mark.

The lead was short-lived however as the Badgers scored a combined five points on consecutive trips down the floor to take a narrow 26-24 lead into halftime.

Norwich broke out its stalwart defense in the third quarter holding the Badgers to just five points on 2-of-14 shooting. The offense poured in 13 points in the period to establish the team's largest lead of the game at 37-31.

Norwich was able to maintain its lead through the first three minutes of the half until NVU-Johnson connected on three-straight field goal attempts to cut the Cadets' lead to 42-41 with 5:45 left to play.

A made jump shot from Badgers' Cheyanne Tooman deadlocked the game at 43-43 at the 4:30 mark. After a miss by Bennett, the hosts' Lindsey Laperle re-established the Badgers' lead at 45-43.

The teams traded points down the stretch, but with the game even at 48-48, Travers came up with a huge defensive stop with a blocked shot that led to senior guard Sara Bradley's (Sunnyside, N.Y.) all-important jumper to give the lead back to the Cadets at 50-48 with 1:32 remaining.

With the Badgers' Kianna Johnson missing on a jumper with just 16 seconds to play, they were forced to foul Bennet who came down with a key defensive rebound. She calmly nailed both of the ensuing free throws to give Norwich a 52-48 lead.

Those two made free throws would turn out to be of extreme importance as Laperle dead-eyed a three-pointer to get the hosts within one. However, time was on the Cadets' side in this one and the visitors held on for the one-point win.

Despite getting outshot in the game by the Badgers, Norwich's victory was powered by two significant advantages in the game. The players were money from the free-throw line where they hit 21-of-26 of their attempts. They also converted 17 points off of their second chances while holding NVU-Johnson scoreless on their second chance opportunities.

Bennett was the game's leading scorer registering 17 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 performance at the charity stripe. Vigorito contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while Travers led the team on the glass with a career-tying-high 13 caroms in addition to her seven points. Freshman Katelyn DeSilvio (Chelmsford, Mass.) paced the Cadets' reserves with six points.

Norwich will return to conference play on Wednesday when it travels to face Rivier at 7 p.m.