Junior Lianna Carrero (Hamden, Conn.) recorded a career-high 46 points to lift the Albertus Magnus women's basketball team to a 75-73 victory over Norwich on Saturday afternoon.
Carrero, who shot 16-of-25 from the field, tallied 27 second-half points to lead Albertus. She was also 3-of-3 from behind the arc. Carrero's 11 made field goals as well as 25 shot attempts were both career-highs as well. The junior hit 11-of-14 from the free-throw line, which proved to be a key factor in today's win as she went 5-of-6 from the line in the final two minutes of the contest to secure the Falcons' victory.
Carrero scored the Falcons' final 10 points in the last 6:21 of the contest, including her five made free-throws that clinched the win.
With the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory, the Falcons improved to 15-3 on the year and 5-2 in league play. Norwich falls to 8-13 overall with the loss and 2-6 in GNAC action.
Carrero's 46-point effort marked the fourth time in the last six contests that she registered 30 or more points for the Falcons. Nicole Acerra (East Haven, Conn.) also registered career-highs as she finished the afternoon with eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Falcons shot 41.4% from the floor in the opening half en route to a 33-26 lead at the break. Both Carrero and Norwich's Aliah Curry led all scorers in the frame with 19 points. Norwich was able to keep the game close in the first half as the Cadets hit five 3-pointers in 14 attempts.
Norwich came out of the break outscoring the Falcons 8-3 to cut the Albertus lead to two at 36-34 two minutes into the second half. Albertus bounced back and extended its lead to as much as 10 as Annie Sutila (Bridgeport, Conn.) knocked in a three to give the Falcons a 61-51 lead with 7:59 to go.
Annie Raucci (Milford, Conn.) pulled down 10 rebounds in 30 minutes of work for the Falcons, while Kendrea Walker (New Haven, Conn.) came off the bench to tally three points, four blocked shots and nine boards.
Sutila was the only other Falcon in double digits with 15 points as she hit five 3-pointers, tying her career-high.
Aliah Curry finished with 37 points in 36 minutes of work as she tallied more than half of her team's scoring output. Curry shot 10-of-22 from the floor, including a 6-of-12 clip from behind the arc. She added an 11-of-15 effort from the charity stripe.
The Falcons are now 7-17 all-time versus Norwich dating back to the 1992-93 season.
Carrero's 46-point effort marks the most points scored in a single game for an Albertus Magnus women's basketball player since Denise Brace scored 40 points on Dec. 29, 1996. Carrero is now fourth in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with her 46 points in a single game as Stacy Manfredi from Saint Joseph (Conn.) scored 54 points on Feb. 21, 1998.
Carrero is also the first GNAC player to score over 40 points in a single game since Therline Dumeran from Pine Manor registered 41 points on Nov. 17, 2011.
Albertus returns to action when the Falcons' travel up Interstate-91 to take on the University of Saint Joseph in a GNAC match-up. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30.
