New Haven, Conn. – Seniors Shyla Osmond (New Haven, Conn.) and Rah-Rah Thompson (Bridgeport, Conn.) shined in their collegiate finales Tuesday night in Albertus Magnus College women's basketball's 103-95 double-overtime setback to Suffolk University in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament Quarterfinals. Osmond posted her second 40-point game in a week with 43 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Thompson posted her 20th double-double of the year with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
THE BASICS
FINAL: No. 4 Suffolk 103 | No. 5 Albertus Magnus 95 (2OT)
RECORDS: Suffolk (18-8 GNAC) | Albertus Magnus (18-8 GNAC)
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Falcons offense in the first quarter ran through Osmond and Kyah Nowlin (Stamford, Conn.), as the duo scored all 15 of the team's points. Osmond scored six of the first eight points for Albertus, to go along with the final two points of the frame to give her eight in the quarter. Without any production from their other players, the Falcons trailed 28-15, heading into the second quarter.
Albertus began to turn the game around in the second frame, scoring the first six points in the quarter to cut the deficit to seven, 28-21. Andreah Orr (Danbury, Conn.) tallied the first four points for the Falcons. A Thompson layup with 2:59 left in the second cut the Albertus margin to two, 33-31, before Suffolk rallied to take a 41-35 lead into halftime.
The Falcons won their second consecutive quarter in the third to draw the margin to two, 60-58, heading into the fourth. Osmond led all players with seven in the third, while Thompson had five.
With just a two-point margin heading into the final quarter, the Falcons went on a 9-0 surge to take a 67-60 advantage with 6:47 left in the game. Albertus continued to lead until the 1:41 mark of the fourth, when Suffolk deadlocked the game at 72-72, resulting in a tie at the end of regulation.
The first overtime featured back-and-forth play by both teams, as neither team took a lead larger than two points. The most significant blow for the Falcons came at the 3:59 mark of the period, as Thompson fouled out of the contest.
The second OT remained close as the score sat tied at 89-89 with 3:44 left. The Rams blew the game wide open over the next 1:42 with an 8-0 run to take a 97-89 advantage. From that point, Suffolk held on to its lead to seal a 103-95 victory.
TEAM STATS
Albertus – 39.5% FG | 30.8%3PT| 86.4%FT
Suffolk – 45.5% FG | 33.3%3PT| 75.0%FT
This game had seven ties and six lead changes
KEY PERFORMERS
Albertus:
Shyla Osmond - 43 points (13-39 FG, 5-10 3PT, 12-13 FT) | 9 rebounds | 7 assists | 4 steals
Rah-Rah Thompson - 18 points (8-13 FG, 2-3 FT) | 14 rebounds |1 assist | 1 steal
Kyah Nowlin - 16 points (7-14 FG, 2-9 3PT) | 7 rebounds | 2 assists | 3 steals
Andreah Orr - 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-4 FT) | 7 rebounds | 3 blocks
Suffolk:
Jenni-Rose DiCecco - 29 points (7-25 FG, 3-10 3PT, 12-16 FT) | 8 rebounds | 10 assists |3 steals | 1 block
Alexis Hackett - 23 points (8-15 FG, 3-83PT, 4-4 FT) | 10 rebounds | 2 assists
Gabriella DeComo - 14 points (6-11 FG, 2-4 FT) | 4 rebounds| 3 assists |2 steals
Emily Welling - 13 points (5-6 FG, 3-4 FT) | 5 rebounds | 2 steals | 2 blocks
DOUBLES-DOUBLES
Albertus: Rah-Rah Thompson - 18 points & 14 rebounds
Suffolk: Jenni-Rose DiCecco - 29 points & 10 assists
Alexis Hackett - 23 points & 10 rebounds
NOTEWORTHY
• Albertus faced Suffolk earlier this season and lost to the Rams, 65-59.
• The Falcons are now 8-18 all-time against the Rams.
• Albertus wrapped up the season with a record of 9-5 on the road.
• The Falcons have won 18-plus games in each of the last three seasons.
• Osmond was on a tear to end the season, scoring 40 points in two of her final three games.
• Osmond five points off of her career-high set just on Feb. 18 against Johnson & Wales University.
• She ends the season with a 23.8 points-per-game average.
• Osmond was close to her fourth triple-double as a senior.
• Thompson ends the year with 20 double-doubles, which is top two in the country.
• Nowlin tied a season-high with seven rebounds.
• Nowlin also posted her 12th double-digit scoring effort with 16 points.
