NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Caitlyn Scott (White Plains, N.Y.) tied a season-high with 36 points and the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team scored 14 straight points in the fourth quarter to rally from a nine-point deficit in an 84-72 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win over Rivier on Saturday afternoon.
The Falcons scored 36 points in the fourth quarter, 15 of the points coming from Scott. Jakara Murray-Leach (Norwalk, Conn.) had another double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds and Diamond White (Hamden, Conn.) scored 12.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Albertus Magnus 84 | Rivier 72
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (14-4, 6-1 GNAC) | Rivier (6-11, 4-3 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Natasha Rivera (Ansonia, Conn.) scored the first basket of the game for a brief 2-0 lead for the Falcons, but the Raiders took control, going up 18-6 with 3:38 remaining in the first quarter as Lyric Grumblatt scored seven points and six from Anna Stenger.
- Albertus rallied to finish the quarter on a 9-2 run as Murray-Leach, Scott and White all made baskets in the final three minutes, cutting its deficit to 20-15 at the end of the first.
- The Falcons stormed out the gates in the second quarter, scoring the first ten points behind four points from Scott and Amanda Zdru to give them a 25-20 lead. Back-to-back threes from Rivier's Alyssa Scharn and Alexa Dufries put Rivier back up one. The teams went back and forth a few more time as Albertus took a 30-26 lead after a jumper from Murray-Leach. Dufries hit two straight threes, giving Rivier a 32-30 lead, but a three from Sarah Evangelista gave Albertus a 33-32 lead with 1:58 remaining before halftime.
- Dufries made a layup with 31 seconds left to give Rivier the one-point lead at the break.
- In the third quarter, the Raiders went up by nine at 49-40 after a three from Alyssa Scharn. Scott responded with a three on the next possession, cutting the deficit to six points. After two free throws pushed the lead back to eight points, it was White wh answered with a three to make it a - game with 2:51 left. The Raiders went into the fourth leading 54-48.
- Two free throws from Murray-Leach to begin the fourth cut the Falcons' deficit to four points, but a layup and three from Rachel Guinn on back-to-back possessions put the Raiders up 59-50.
- From there, it was all Albertus. The Falcons started their run with a three from Scott followed by two more free throws from her and one from Murray-Leach to make it a 59-56 game with 7:34 left. After a turnover from the Raiders, Scott hit a jumper to cut the deficit to one.
- Albertus would take its first and only lead in the second half for good after Sarah Evangelista grabbed an offensive rebound on a fast break and laid it in to make it a 60-59 Albertus lead. Scott followed with back-to-back layups to make it a 64-59 game after the 14-0 run.
- Guinn hit back-to-back threes for Rivier sandwiched by a jumper from Murray-Leach as the Falcons led 66-65 with 4:58 left.
- Albertus led 72-65 after six straight free throws, but a three from Lyric Grumblatt cut the Falcons' lead down to four points. But a jumper from Murray-Scott and a dagger of a three from White with just under two minutes remaining put Albertus up 77-68. Rivier would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.
TEAM STATS
Albertus 39.4 FG% | 22.7 3PT% | 76.7 FT%
Rivier 40.3 FG% | 39.4 3PT% | 60.0 FT%
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES
Albertus
Caitlyn Scott 36 Points | 7 Rebounds | 2 Assists | 13-25 FG
Jakara Murray-Leach 19 Points | 11 Rebounds | 4 Assists | 3 Steals
Diamond White 12 Points | 2 3PT
Rivier
Lyric Grumblatt 20 Points | 10 Rebounds
Rachel Guinn 18 Points | 4-11 3PT
Alexa Dufries 17 Points | 8 Rebounds
NOTEWORTHY
- Scott jumped her way to ninth place all-time in scoring in program history. She now has 1,301 points in her career.
- Scott also scored 36 in a win over NJCU.
- Albertus now leads the all-time series, 23-11. The Falcons have won seven of the last eight meetings.
- Murray-Leach now has eight double-doubles on the season.
- Albertus is now 12-0 when scoring at least 80 points in a game.
UP NEXT
The Falcons will go back on the road for a GNAC matchup at Elms on January 24 at 5 p.m.