Posted: Feb 05, 2015
NE-10 wrap-up starts win the Nutmeg State…
- New Haven scored the last seven points of the game to shade Southern Connecticut, 82-75, in a local NE-10 Southwest battle. The Owls, who trailed for the entire second half, finally caught the Chargers with 1:12 left thanks to a Taylor McLaughlin (21 points, 4-7 3FG) three-point play, 75-all. UNH won the game at the line, making 7-8 at the stripe in the last 54 seconds while SCSU missed all three of their field goal attempts. Five Chargers reached double digits, with Briana Bradford (15 points), Aquillin Hayes (14 points, 8 boards) and Ashley LeBlanc (11 points, 10 rebounds) leading a varied attack. Jackie Beathea (19 points, 12 boards) was among three others to reach double figures for the host Owls in support of McLaughlin. Stat-wise, free throws were the glaring difference, as UNH made 21-27 while Southern Connecticut went just 6-9 at the line. The Chargers have won five in a row and stayed within a game of Adelphi for the divisional lead while SCSU is in 3rd place with a two-game gap (loss column) in either direction.
- St. Michael’s did their playoff chances a world of good with a 72-56 upset win over visiting Franklin Pierce in Vermont. They Purple Knights fell into a quick 12-2 hole but rallied (thanks to an 11-1 spell later on) to enter the halftime break ahead, 32-25. Their lead hit double figures for the first time at 46-34 (12:26) but the Ravens fought back to get within a pair a few times, the last occasion at 54-52 with 6:43 left. SMC ended the drama with a 10-0 response (64-52, 1:02) and snapped a four-game slide as a result. Indira Evora (21 points, 10-10 FT), Maggie Sabine (18 points, 8 rebounds), Kelly Frappier (15 points) and Makenzie Burud (14 points) accounted for almost every SMC point while Alison Palma (career-high 16 points; 7 boards) and Jessica Hurd (15 points) led the Franklin Pierce attack. St. Mike’s proved the better shooting team (46%-40%) and took advantage of more trips to the line (SMC 22-24; FPU 6-8 FT) in a big way. The Ravens remain in 2nd place in the NE-10 Northeast while the Purple Knights have closed the gap to the final playoff spot to a game.
- The other ‘upset’ in the NE-10 saw the College of Saint Rose send AIC home with a 66-58 defeat, shaving the gap between the two teams to a game in the chase for the last NE-10 Southwest playoff spot. The Golden Knights never trailed in the second half but the Yellow Jackets were right there with them all night. The halftime tally was 36-28 and AIC finally tied the game at 44 with 9:42 left. Krista Ferrentino’s (13 points, 7 boards) bucket brought AIC within 58-56 at the 2:20 mark but the Golden Knights secured the game with the next eight points, started by a Jamie Hutcheson (11 points, 7 boards) basket at 1:17 and followed by a 6-9 showing at the line. Mariah Lesure (20 points) and Staci Barrett (17 points in 21 bench minutes) topped the Saint Rose scoring while Kamika Mason (13 points, 10 boards) collected a double-double to join Ferrentino in leading AIC. Saint Rose shot better (46%-39%) and fared better at the line (18-27; AIC 13-20 FT) to neutralize the Yellow Jackets 42-29 board edge.
- Stonehill led from start-to-finish but had to scrap to fend off Merrimack in North Easton, 63-60. Tori Faieta (19 points, 10 rebounds) was the main force for the Skyhawks while Chloe Rothman (17 points) was the only Warrior to reach double digits. An 11-3 Skyhawk burst sent them into a 31-17 lead late in the first period and helped them take a 35-27 advantage at the break. MC closed to within a point (48-47, 9:40) after a 12-2 run midway through the second stanza but they never got even or over the hump. Rothman’s trey with :02 left cut the deficit to 61-60 but a pair of free throws from Amy Pelletier wrapped it up for the Skyhawks, who have a hefty four-game bulge at the head of the NE-10 Northeast standings. Merrimack had the majority of the team stats in their favor (47%-42% FG; 7-5 in 3FG’s; 36-27 board margin) but turned the ball over eight more times (23-15) and they find themselves in 4th place in the division as a result.
- Adelphi popped in 55 points in the second half to speed away from visiting LeMoyne and earn an 87-64 victory, staying a game ahead of New Haven in the NE-10 Southwest. The Dolphins got to the half on top, 36-32, and the game was tied at 44 when AU got into gear. A 9-0 spree led by Kelly Mannix (seven of her game-high 25 points) put the Panthers on top for good (54-44, 11:35) and after a pair of LC foul shots, the home team ripped off the next seven points to make it a 16-2 run and a 60-46 lead with 9:33 left. The margin never dipped below double-digits thereafter. Ashley Gomez (personal-best 18 points) and Calli Balfour (11 points, 9 boards, 5 picks) lent ample support for Adelphi, which shot 54% overall, sank 9-16 from deep and compiled a 25/14 assist/turnover ratio on the night. Vandell Andrade (19 points, 11 rebounds) keyed the LeMoyne effort, one that shot 45% but also suffered a 27-turnover evening, leading to a 25-7 AU edge in points-off-turnovers. LeMoyne stayed in 4th place in the division but is only a game ahead of the chasing pack after the defeat.
- Caitlin Ackerman nearly posted a triple-double (career-high tying 21 points; 9 rebounds, 8 steals, 9-13 FG) to spearhead Assumption past Bentley in Waltham, 73-61. Kelly Conley also tossed in 21 points for the Greyhounds, who never trailed in the game. They led by as many as 15 in the first half and arrived at the half with a 37-28 margin. The Falcons rallied to within 58-51 with 8:49 left but wasted a number of chances to get closer and eventually AC pulled away to end a three-game slide and leap-frog Merrimack for 3rd place in the NE-10 Northeast. Jen Gemma led Bentley in scoring for the ninth straight time (25 points) with Kelsey Mattice (11 points) and Carlene Kluge (career-high 10 points) also adding good outings but the Falcons lost ground in their chase to get into playoff reckoning. Turnovers were vital in this one, as Assumption (who also got 12 points, 5 assists and 5 steals from Allison Stoddard) was a +10 (28-18), including an impressive 22 steals.
- Due to a power failure at the SNHU Fieldhouse, the game between St. Anselm and Southern New Hampshire was postponed a day and will tip-off tonight at 4:30pm.
ECC recap works from the top downwards…
- Queens knocked off St. Thomas Aquinas, 68-48, to jump over idle UDC at the top of the ECC standings. Madison Rowland (29 points, 12-20 FG, 3-6 3FG) was the major weapon for the Knights but MacKenzie Rowland (15 points, 16 boards, 5 steals) and Kristen Korzevinski (12 points) also played central roles. An early 15-2 spurt (QC 21-9, 11:12) sent the visitors into the lead for good but the Spartans closed the gap to 42-38 in the early moments of the second half. Queens responded with a killer 17-0 burst, holding STAC scoreless for a stretch of 7:25. The upshot was a 59-38 lead with 9:20 to go, more than enough to lock up the win for the Knights. Samantha Burden (14 points, 6 boards) was the pick of the lot for the Spartans but they shot only 31% overall while QC hit an even 50%, a decisive factor. Add in 27 STAC turnovers that led to 30 QC points and the result was not unexpected. The only area that St. Thomas Aquinas shined in was at the line (15-23; QC 5-6 FT) but that proved no consolation and it leaves the Spartans tied for the final ECC playoff spot with Molloy.
- Second half runs of 10-0 and 9-0 aided NYIT in beating Dowling, 74-62, pulling into a tie for 3rd place in the ECC with Roberts Wesleyan as a result. The Bears out-scored the Golden Lions 37-31 in each half but the two key runs (10-0 to push their lead to 51-37 at 13:15; and 9-0 to make it a 68-47 edge with 5:08 left) really nailed it down. Julie Williams (16 points, 11 boards), Audrey Knowlton (14 points, 9 caroms) and Dina Ragab (14 points, 8 boards) shared the load for the winners, as they ruled the glass (50-37) on the night. Christine Verrelle (17 points, 8 boards, 7 assists) flirted with a triple-double to lead Dowling, with Kamille Ejerta (16 points) and Jasmine Sapp (12 points) also in double digits. Even with the loss, the Golden Lions are within a game of the last playoff spot in the ECC.
- LIU Post had enough to hold off Bridgeport in Brookville, 71-66, and keep their noses in the hunt for the top four in the ECC. The Pioneers used a 10-0 burst to establish a 44-32 lead with 13:35 left but the Purple Knights didn’t fold and found a way to slice the deficit to 61-58 at the 3:11 mark. They came no closer, though, as the Pioneers managed just enough free throws (5-10 FT) in the last minute to consolidate their lead. Chelsea Williams (25 points, 10-13 FT, 6 assists) and Nyasia Davis (20 points, 16 boards) held down the fort for LIU Post, which shot 49% overall and dropped in 17-27 at the line. Jennifer Kucukkaya (22 points, 4-6 3FG) was UB’s best option but they shot only 39% from the floor as a unit. The PK’s two-game winning run is over and they sit three games out of a playoff place while Pioneers ended a two-game downturn.
- Molloy won a tight one against Mercy, 63-60, to pull into a tie for the final ECC playoff berth with St. Thomas Aquinas. The Lions led at the half 33-30 and stayed in front for a while but the Mavericks kept the pressure on, eventually tying the contest at 56. Aliyah McDonald’s (12 points) basket with 6:30 left put Molloy ahead to stay (58-56) but Mercy managed to crawl within one, 61-60, thanks to a Tanayzha Augustine (13 points) bucket with 27 seconds to play. McDonald hit two free throws with :24 to go to make it 63-60 but Mercy had chances thereafter. A three-point miss was followed by Molloy failing to convert two foul shots with four ticks left, leaving the door ajar. Mercy’s Tatiana Parish (18 points, 5-10 3FG) missed the front end of a 1+1 with two seconds left but they could not get a potentially game-tying 3FG off in the scramble for possession. Kimani Jackson (12 points) and Alexia O’Connor (11 points) joined McDonald in double digits for the Lions, who struggled at the stripe (9-22 FT) but forced eight more Mercy turnovers (25-17). Monet Keane-Dawes (14 points) and Brandone Roberts (11 points, 13 rebounds) helped out the Mercy effort as they also had foul line issues (9-16 FT) but grabbed eight more boards (48-40). Bench points were plentiful in this one, with Molloy having a 35-32 plus in that area.
CACC round-up begins with white-hot Devils…
- The hottest team in the region stayed that way, as the University of the Sciences made it fourteen in a row by dispatching Chestnut Hill, 69-54. The victory tied the program record for consecutive wins as well as guaranteeing the Devils a place in the CACC playoffs. After the early exchanges the Devils conjured a pair of 9-0 runs to help build a 47-29 halftime lead, one which proved too much for the Griffins to overcome. Brianne Traub (16 points, 6 boards) and Sarah Abbonizio (12 points, 4-6 3FG) led the scoring parade for the Devils, which shot a toasty 51% (including 62% in a red-hot first half) and made 13-27 from behind the arc. Shayla Felder (20 points) was CHC’s only double digit scorer and they had a tough shooting night (34% FG, 3-11 3FG), also. The Griffins are not out of the CACC South playoff race but they are four games behind in the loss column with six games left. Sciences, meanwhile, holds a one-game lead over Philadelphia (loss column) atop the division.
- Holy Family is tucked into 3rd place in the CACC South, just two games off the pace, after their 62-50 win at Goldey-Beacom. The Tigers led all the way, racing to an 11-0 lead and not allowing a Lightning field goal until almost nine minutes had elapsed. Still, GBC closed the spread to 29-23 at the half and it was a game. A 9-0 spell stretched the HFU lead to 40-25 at the 14:29 mark and although the Lightning stayed in touch, they never seriously threatened thereafter. Kasey Woetzel (14 points, 12 boards), Sarah Pawlak (12 points, 18 rebounds) and Jill Conroy (12 points) shared the load for the Tigers while Lexi Bruno (15 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists) and Reighly Melochick (13 points) led the GBC attack. Holy Family’s main team advantage was rebounds (52-38) and they also used the ball nicely (20 assists on 22 field goals) on the night. Goldey-Beacom had a three-game winning streak ended but stayed solidly in 4th place in the division just the same.
- Caldwell consolidated their 2nd place status in the CACC North thanks to an 85-76 win over Felician at the Newman Center. The trio of Emily Caswell (23 points, 19 rebounds), Antoinette Pilla (23 points, 5-12 3FG) and Kristen Drogsler (20 points, 9 rebounds) led the potent Cougar attack as they kept a step ahead of Dominican in the division. Ashley Morris (career-high 25 points; 8 boards) and Eliana Scanlon (21 points, 9 assists, 6 boards) led the effort for the Golden Falcons, who used only six players in the game. Caldwell led by a 44-34 count at the half and led by as many as 19 points (75-56) in the final period but watched a late Felician rally (12-0) cut the deficit to 78-72 with 1:06 left. They home team kept their cool and drilled 7-8 at the line in the final 59 seconds to make certain of the result. Caldwell had the upper hand in shooting (44%-37%), three-pointers (10-5) and at the line (19-22; Felician 15-20 FT) while also gathering eight more rebounds (48-40) to aid the cause. Felician has lost their last three games and is two games out of a playoff berth in the CACC North.
- Dominican picked up a solid 73-55 win over Concordia in Orangeburg to keep the pressure on Caldwell in the CACC North. The Chargers led 35-21 at halftime and never allowed the Clippers to make a substantial push at them in the second half as their lead did not dip under double figures. Deja Gabbidon (23 points, 12 boards, 10-14FG), Shannon McGill (12 points 4-8 3FG) and Lahonda Hathorne (11 points) led the way for DC as they prospered at the line (17-26; Concordia 5-13 FT) and especially in turnovers, where they forced 17 more (30-13) and used that to out-score the Clippers in points-off-TO’s 32-12. Hadiyah Black (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Jessica Rosalbo (10 points) registered double digits for Concordia but despite out-shooting Dominican (45%-37%), they fell short for the seventh straight time. Nevertheless, the Clippers are just one game out in the loss column for the final playoff spot in the CACC North.
- Nyack dented Post’s CACC North playoff chances and earned a playoff lifeline with a 75-53 win in Waterbury. The Eagles got off to a fast start (10-0) but once the Warriors found some rhythm, they closed the gap and eventually took a 26-25 halftime lead. Nyack rolled up an early 13-1 spree in the second period which pushed their lead into double figures for good, 54-39 (10:04). Jamie McKeither (personal-bests of 27 points and 16 rebounds) and Raven Makins (career-high 27 points; 6 boards) were sensational for the Warriors as they shot 56% as a team during the second half (47% overall) and totally dominated the boards (64-40). Only Deasia Acklin (14 points) registered double figures for Post, who shot a measly 21% from the field. The Eagles did have a better day from long-range (Post 7-28; Nyack 1-10 3FG) and forced seven more turnovers (27-20) while both teams left points on the table at the line (Nyack 12-21; Post 18-32 FT). The Eagles still hold 4th place in the division (a game up on Concordia) but Nyack, in 8th place, is only three games behind in the loss column.
Pace takes the lone non-league game of the night…
- Pace stepped out of NE-10 play and stepped on Georgian Court in Pleasantville, 83-63, to push the NE-10’s non-league record to an impressive 70-20. The Setters led all the way, pulling into the half ahead, 38-29, and widening their lead steadily thereafter. Margo Hackett (19 points), Jaclyn Oskam (18 points, 7 rebounds) and Gabriella Rubin (13 points) led the Pace scoring with Kirsten Dodge grabbing 13 boards off the bench. Tahira Matthews (32 points, 17 rebounds, 10 turnovers; 11-21 FG, 10-11 FT) was all over the stat sheet for the Lions with a mostly-positive triple-double but she had little help (nobody else in double digits for GCU). Pace feasted from deep (11-24 3FG; GCU 4-6 3FG) and grabbed a dozen more rebounds (47-35) while using the ball neatly (21 assists, 10 turnovers) in the victory that got them back to .500 overall.