Posted: Mar 06, 2015
Panthers return to NE-10 title game…
- Adelphi held off Franklin Pierce last night in Garden City, 65-54, to secure its place in the Northeast-10 championship game for the second straight season on Sunday afternoon (they lost at Bentley last March). The Panthers trailed only once in the game but the Ravens proved a stubborn foe and were not out of it until a late 8-2 spell stretched Adelphi’s lead from 54-49 (5:00) to 62-51 (1:55). Adelphi led by as many as seven points in the first half (13-6) but FPU rallied and claimed their only lead of the night at 22-20 (5:20) thanks to a Kate McDonald (8 points) right corner three-pointer. The home team answered with a 9-4 spell to close the half (33-28) and notched the first two baskets of the second period to push the margin to 37-28 (18:35). Franklin Pierce hung in the game and closed the deficit to 45-43 thanks to a Jemma Thacker trey (11:16), only to see Adelphi rattle off a 9-0 blitz over the next four minutes to extend the lead to 54-43 (7:17). Kara Charette (21 points, 8 boards; 7-15 FG, 7-8 FT) led the Ravens last stand with the next six points (54-49) but AU received three-pointers from Kelly Mannix (14 points, 8 caroms) and Anh-Dao Tran (11 points) in the aforementioned 8-2 run and the Panthers had a grip on matters, 62-51, with 1:55 left. Calli Balfour (11 points, 7 boards) was also in double digits for Adelphi, which profited from the evening’s turnover count (+8, 20-12; out-scoring FPU in points-off-TO’s, 20-8). Shooting numbers were largely similar (both between 36-37% from the floor; AU had a 5-4 edge in 3FG’s; and the Panthers made a few more free throws, going 12-17 to FPU’s 10-14) with the rebounding totals almost even (FPU 42-41). Jessica Hurd (8 points, 9 boards) helped Charette inside for the Ravens but they didn’t have enough pop to hand Adelphi a rare home loss. The Panthers are 18-0 on their home court this season and will host the championship game on Sunday against the winner of tonight’s other semifinal between New Haven and AIC.
- Speaking of that, the AIC at New Haven semifinal scheduled for last night was postponed 24 hours to due weather conditions. The game will take place tonight at Charger Gym in West Haven.