Women's Basketball Falls Short in Overtime to Emmanuel (Mass.) in GNAC Semifinal

Link: Box Score

Boston, Mass. – Senior guard Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) of the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team scored a team-high 27 points as the Falcons fell short in overtime, 78-72, to Emmanuel College in the GNAC Semifinals on Thursday evening at the Jean Yawkey Center.

THE BASICS
FINAL: Emmanuel College 78 | Albertus Magnus College 72 (OT)
RECORDS: #3 Albertus Magnus (23-4) | #2 Emmanuel (22-5)

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half:

• The Saints started the game on a high note with a quick four point lead, but the Falcons came back quickly to tie the game at four.
• Maddie McLaughlin hit her first triple of the evening to extend the Saints' lead to three, 7-4.
• Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda controlled the offense for the Saints scoring ten points through seven minutes, 22-16, before Johnson stopped the momentum by completing an and-one and Shyla Osmond (New Haven, Conn.) laid in a shot in the paint, tying the game after the first quarter, 25-25.
• Albertus and Emmanuel battled through two ties to start off the second until the Saints took over on offense and held a 39-34 lead at the half.

Second Half:

• Emmanuel came out of break hot scoring quick six straight points to extend the lead, 45-38, before Johnson completed yet another and-one and Osmond sunk a deep three to close the lead back to three, 47-44.
• The Falcons took the lead for the first time at the 3:07 mark as Osmond connected on jumper with no time on the shot clock, 52-50.
• The Saints' were able to stay collected and tie the game back to head into the final quarter, 56-56.
• Albertus was able to take their largest lead of game, 56-50, as Osmond and Johnson combined for four unanswered points, but a hard drive by Kayla Weavers and a layup by Ramirez-Tejeda tied the game 60-60 with 4:40 remaining in regulation.
• The Saints used late game fouls by the Falcons to their advantage and scored eight straight points within two minutes , 64-60.
• The final two minutes of play continued to be a battle as both sides connected on late game baskets forcing extra time, 66-66.

Overtime:

• Andreah Orr (Danbury, Conn.) of the Falcons scored the first basket in overtime to give the visitors a two-point edge.
• Following two ties, Emmanuel finsihed on top, 78-72, to advance to the GNAC Championship, 78-72.

KEY PERFORMANCES
Albertus:

• Jill Johnson – 27 Points (8-21 FG, 0-3 3PT, 11-14 FT) | 4 rebounds
• Rah Rah Thompson (Bridgeport, Conn.) – 18 Points (7-15 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-4 FT) | 20 rebounds | 1 assist | 1 steal | 2 blocks
• Shyla Osmond – 17 points (8-18 FG, 1-2 3PT) | 6 rebounds | 1 assist | 5 steals

Emmanuel:

• Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda – 26 Points | 14 rebounds | 2 assists | 4 steals
• Riley Lahiff – 16 Points | 8 rebounds | 3 assists | 3 steals | 1 block
• Maddie McLaughlin – 13 points | 3 rebounds | 8 assists | 1 steal
• Mary McCarthy – 12 points | 7 rebounds | 2 assists | 1 steal