Link: Box Score
New Haven, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team closed out the 2017-18 regular season with a thrilling 69-68 win over Great Northeast Athletic Conference foe Simmons College Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at "The Nest" inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.
FINAL SCORE: Albertus Magnus 69 | Simmons 68
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (17-7, 11-5) | Simmons (3-19, 3-13)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Albertus Magnus opened regulation with the early 7-4 lead, just four minutes in, before the Falcons forced two ties and would hold a two-point edge, 16-14, heading into the final 10 minutes of the first half.
Despite only scoring 13-points in the second, Simmons gave the Falcons a run for their money as the visitors regained the lead, 22-21, at the 6:14 mark. The Sharks maintained their edge over the next four minutes, but Albertus Magnus would resume the lead and close out the half with a 39-33 advantage, following a 18-11 run.
Simmons managed to outshot the hosts 20-14 in the third quarter and both teams would head into the third tied at 53-53.
With 3:45 left in regulation, Albertus Magnus and Simmons were tied at 60-60 until a 6-2 run pushed the Falcons' lead to four with 35 seconds on the clock. Simmons would cut the deficit to within one, 69-68, on a three from Francesca Corsinetti at the nine second mark, but it wasn enough as the Falcons pulled away with the win on Senior Day.
NOTEWORTHY
- Two players from Simmons shot 100 percent from the charity stripe.
- Olivia Bolden's (South Windsor, Conn.) 16-board performance extends her career- total to 1,111. She is just four rebounds shy of passing Natalia Perlaza.
- Bolden's 26-point performance moves her career- total to 1,976, just 24 points shy of reaching 2,000.
- Today's 26-point, 16-rebound performance is Bolden's 21 double-double of the season.
- At home, the Falcons are 7-3.
- Albertus Magnus extends the all-time series record to 19-5 against the Sharks.
- Senior Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.) shot 100 percent from the free throw line.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Albertus Magnus - 34.3% (field goal), 16.7% (three point) and 53.8% (free throw)
- Simmons - 36.8% (field goal), 28% (three point) and 78.6% (free throw)
- This game saw eight ties and 10 lead changes.
- Junior Kiki Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) was the next Falcon to finish in double-figures with 17 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field while junior Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) rounded out the scorers with 14 points.
- Presley Silva paced the Sharks' offense with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
- Simmons out rebounded the hosts 53-44 and posted a 16-14 edge in second chance points.
- The Falcons dominated in the paint, 38-22, and in points off turnovers, 19-9.
- Freshman Andreah Orr (Danbury, Conn.) led the defensive unit for the Falcons with three blocks.
- Johnson collected a team-high five steals.
- Francesca Corsinetti and Carli Koffinke rounded out Simmons double-digit scorers with 17 and 12 points, respectively.
UP NEXT
Great Northeast Athletic Conference Schedule - The Falcons earn the fifth seed in the upcoming conference tournament and will face Regis (Mass.) on tuesday, Feb. 20 in Boston, Mass.
Tuesday, February 20 - Quarterfinals
Game 1: #8 Mount Ida at #1 Saint Joseph's Maine - 5:30 PM
Game 2: #5 Albertus Magnus at #4 Regis (Mass.) - 7:00 PM
Game 3: #6 Johnson & Wales at #3 Suffolk - 7:00 PM
Game 4: #7 Norwich at #2 Emmanuel - 7:00 PM
Thursday, February 22 - Semifinals
Game 5: 4/5 winner vs 1/8 winner
Game 6: 3/6 winner vs 2/7 winner
Saturday, February 24 - Final
Game 7: Highest remaining seed