New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team scored a program-record 117 points in a 117-99 non-conference victory against visiting Pine Manor on Tuesday evening at The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.
The Falcons (5-4) have now won two straight at home, while the Gators (4-5) saw their four-game winning streak come to an end. AMC did a good job of spreading the ball around, registering a season-best 31 assists on 43 made field goals. The hosts also held a commanding advantage on the boards, outrebounding the guests, 57-35.
The tandem of junior forward Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) and senior guard Liz Falcigno (Wallingford, Conn.) combined for 51 points to lead Albertus Magnus offensively. Bolden poured in a game-high 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, while Falcigno also racked up a double-double thanks to a 21-point, 10-rebounds performance. Falcigno hit four shots from three-point range and dished out seven assists. A season-best six Falcons scored in double figures in the win. Junior guard Kiki Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) continued her strong play with 15 and sophomore guard Deja Ward (Middletown, Conn.) added 15 points and eight assists off the bench. Sophomore point guard Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) was the other Falcon in double figures with 11 to go along with six assists and three steals.
It was a two-headed attack for Pine Manor as juniors Shaquanda Middleton and Erica Jones accounted for 57 points and 13 assists. Jones netted 31 points thanks to hitting 12 shots from the field, including four from beyond the arc, while Middleton poured in 24 points to go along with nine assists. Freshman forward Nyjayah Gibson and sophomore forward Kristina Giunta were the other Gators in double figures, scoring 10 points apiece.
In the first quarter, Falcigno and Bolden combined for 24 of the Falcons' 33 points as the hosts raced out to a seven-point edge after 10 minutes. Falcigno poured in the last eight points of the frame for Albertus Magnus courtesy of hitting a pair of free throws and two treys. After the Falcons took a 13-point lead at 33-20 with 90 seconds left, the guests closed on a 6-0 run to cut it to a single-digit deficit.
The hosts pulled away midway through the second frame and closed on a 12-6 run to take a 64-47 advantage into the break. AMC forced eight Gator turnovers in the second and hit over 57 percent (12-of-21) of their shots from the field to break open the game. Ward provided a spark for the Falcons off the bench in the second, scoring 10 points and dishing four assists to go along with two steals.
In the second half, both offenses erupted and combined to score 105 points. Albertus Magnus and Pine Manor traded baskets and the hosts stretched their lead to as many as 30 midway through the fourth quarter following a trio of made free throws by Epps.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Monday, December 12, with a home non-conference showdown against Farmingdale State that is slated to begin at 7:00 pm. The Falcons are looking to avenge a 72-64 setback against the Rams earlier this season in a neutral-site meeting. The contest on Monday marks the final one of the Calendar year for AMC.
For the latest information on the women's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
