NASHUA, N.H. - The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team committed a season-low eight turnovers, while forcing 30, against Rivier University in a 95-74 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory on Saturday afternoon in Nashua, N.H.
THE BASICS
Final: Albertus Magnus 95 | Rivier 74
Records: Albertus Magnus (15-6, 5-2 GNAC) | Rivier (4-16, 0-7 GNAC)
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
The start of today's contest featured both teams trading buckets until the score sat tied at 12-12 through the first 6:21. The Falcons began to pull away over the next two minutes, with 3-pointers from Shyla Osmond (New Haven, Conn.) and Kyah Nowlin (Stamford, Conn.) guiding the visitors to a 9-1 run. Albertus held its eight-point advantage, 26-18, through the end of the first quarter.
A three-point play by Rah-Rah Thompson (Bridgeport, Conn.) and another trey by Nowlin led Albertus to its first double-digit advantage, 32-21, 1:32 into the second quarter. The Raiders rallied, cutting their deficit to as low as five points in the frame.
Albertus rebuilt its advantage to a half-high 12 points, 50-38, after a Cassie Couture (Waterbury, Conn.) triple with 24 seconds left in the period. The Falcons maintained the 50-38 lead through the end of the quarter, paced in the half by Nowlin with 23 points. Couture rounded out the double-digit first-half scorers with 12 points.
The third quarter belonged to Osmond, as the senior scored 12 of the Falcons' 25 points. Osmond made a layup and hit a trey to end the period to give Albertus its first 20-point advantage, 74-53, heading into the fourth quarter.
Albertus continued its pressure in the fourth, maintaining a 20-plus-point lead for much of the period. Thompson's layup with 56 seconds on the clock served as the last points of the game and set the final score at 95-74.
The Falcons shined today at taking care of the basketball, as the team committed a season-low eight turnovers, compared to 30 for the Raiders. Albertus finished the game with 20 steals, tying a season-high recorded on Thursday against Dean College.
On the offensive end of the court, Nowlin led all players with a season-high 30 points. The freshman made five 3-pointers and also tallied six steals. Osmond ended the day just one steal shy of her fourth triple-double this season with 26 points, 11 assists, nine steals and seven rebounds. Thompson also came close to a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high nine assists. Couture and Andreah Orr (Danbury, Conn.) rounded out the Falcons' double-digit scorers with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
TEAM STATS
Albertus - 40.4% FG | 33.3% 3PT | 56.3% FT
Rivier - 40.3% FG | 48.3% 3PT | 76.9% FT
KEY PERFORMERS
Albertus:
Kyah Nowlin - 30 points (11-22 FG, 5-13 3PT, 1-2 FT) | 6 steals | 3 assists | 1 rebound | 1 block
Shyla Osmond - 26 points (11-21 FG, 3-5 3PT, 1-2 FT) | 11 assists | 9 steals | 7 rebounds
Cassie Couture - 14 points (6-25 FG, 2-10 3PT) | 4 rebounds | 2 steals
Andreah Orr - 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-6 FT) | 10 rebounds | 2 blocks | 1 assist
Rah-Rah Thompson - 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-3 FT) | 10 rebounds | 9 assists | 1 steal | 1 block
Rivier:
Heather Ries - 22 points (8-14 FG, 6-10 3PT) | 11 rebounds | 1 assist | 1 steal
Jaden Smith - 12 points (3-7 FG, 2-5 3PT, 4-4 FT) | 2 assists | 1 rebound
Alexandra Grumblatt - 11 points (4-12 FG, 3-5 FT) | 15 rebounds | 2 assists
Jackelyn Robarge - 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-6 3PT) | 6 rebounds | 1 assist
Catherine Torpey - 10 points (3-12 FG, 2-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) | 4 rebounds | 2 blocks
DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Albertus: Shyla Osmond (26 points, 11 assists)
Andreah Orr (11 points, 10 rebounds)
Rah-Rah Thompson (10 points, 10 rebounds)
Rivier: Heather Ries (22 points, 11 rebounds)
Alexandra Grumblatt (11 points, 15 rebounds)
NOTEWORTHY
• The Falcons improve to 21-10 all-time against Rivier, winning the last five meetings.
• Albertus is now 7-4 on the road this season.
• The Falcons tied a season-high with 20 steals today, also doing so in Thursday's game against Dean.
• Osmond's nine steals are a new career-high for the senior.
• Osmond's double-double is her ninth of the year.
• Thompson recorded a new career-best with nine assists today.
• Thompson collected her 16th double-double of the season.
• Nowlin posted a new season-high with 30 points, tying her previous season-high of 23 in the first half.
• Nowlin is just the second Falcon to reach 30 points this season, joining Osmond, who has done it three times.
• Nowlin also posted a new season-high with six steals.
• After today, Orr has five double-doubles this season.
UP NEXT
The women's basketball team returns home for the first time since January on Wednesday, Feb. 12, for a GNAC showdown against Emmanuel College (Mass.) at 6 p.m.
