NEW HAVEN, Conn. -  The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team secured a thrilling 87-86 triumph over the visiting Mariners of Mitchell College on Saturday afternoon inside "The Nest" as Jakara Murray-Leach (Norwalk, Conn.) hit the game-winning three with 10 seconds left in regulation.

Natasha Rivera (Ansonia, Conn.) recorded her second double-double of the season with a 13-point, 12-rebound performance, while Caitlyn Scott (White Plains, N.Y.) led the Falcons' attack with 26 points. Murray-Leach and Diamond White (Hamden, Conn.) also had fantastic games for the Falcons, as the duo scored 20 points and 19 points, respectively.     

THE BASICS
Final: Albertus Magnus 87 | Mitchell 86
Records: Albertus Magnus (8-1) | Mitchell (3-6) 
Box Score

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons and Mariners grappled ferociously over the first few minutes of regulation, battling back-and-forth through two lead changes, before a White three-pointer at the 7:34 mark tied the game at 7-all. 
• The teams continued to battle for the next few minutes before the Mariners tied the game for the second time, 13-13, on a made jumper from Amina Wiley. 
• Albertus maintained possession of the lead for the remainder of the quarter as the host closed out the frame with a 22-17 lead. 
• A defensive battle ensued to start the second stanza, with neither team scoring any points until a three from Amanda Zdru (Stratford, Conn.) at the 8:25 mark broke the drought. 

• The Mariners retaliated with an 11-4 push over the next five minutes to close the gap to one, 29-28.
• A 10-4 push from the blue-and-white over the final 3:25 of the half sent the teams into the halftime break, with the Falcons holding the 39-32 lead. 

• The Falcons came out of the break with a 4-0 push to take an 11-point lead, 43-32, on baskets from White and Scott. 
• The team traded baskets until the 1:40 mark of the third when a White lay-up sparked a 6-2 Falcons run that gave the hosts a 68-53 lead going into the final stanza. 

• The battle for the lead continued through the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, as Rivera, Murray-Leach, and Scott all found the net for the Falcons, while a 9-3 Mariners' run cut the hosts' lead to 11, 77-66, with 5:27 remaining in regulation. 
• Mitchell's offensive rally continued as a 15-3 run gave the visitors the 81-80 lead with 2:19 left on the clock.
• A made free throw from Rivera at the 1:07 mark tied the game, again, 81-81, before a Mitchell three gave the visitors the 84-81 lead. 
• A Rivera lay-up brought AMC to within one, 84-83, with 0:43 seconds left on the clock. 
• The teams traded free throws over the next twenty seconds, with the Mariners holding the 86-84 lead heading into the final twenty seconds. 
• A strategic AMC time-out set up the Falcon's passing attack, and within seconds Murray-Leach swished a heroic shot from behind the arc to give the Falcons the final 87-86 victory.              

TEAM STATS
Albertus: 50% FG | 42.1% 3PT | 65.2% FT
Mitchell: 47.9% FG | 40% 3PT | 38.1% FT

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

Albertus:
Caitlyn Scott - 26 points (9-14 FG, 2-3 3PT, 6-9 FT) | 3 rebounds | 5 assists
Jakara Murray-Leach - 20 points (7-18 FG, 3-10 3PT, 3-4 FT) | 5 rebounds | 2 assists | 1 block | 4 steals
Diamond White - 19 points (9-17 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-1 FT) | 3 rebounds | 3 assists | 2 steals
Natasha Rivera - 15 points (4-9 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-6 FT) | 12 rebounds | 5 assists | 1 steal | 1 block

Mitchell:
Amina Wiley  - 32 points (15-22 FG, 2-6 FT) | 25 rebounds | 3 assists | 1 block | 3 steals
Jermia Dumas  - 15 points (6-12 FG, 2-2 3PT, 1-2 FT) | 4 rebounds | 2 assists
Dede Stevenson - 12 points (4-17 FG, 3-11 3PT, 1-2 FT) | 3 rebounds | 4 assists
Yasmine Santos - 11 points (4-5 FG, 1-1 3PT, 2-5 FT) | 4 rebounds | 1 steal

NOTEWORTHY

• Today's game was the 13th all-time meeting between the Falcons and Mariners.
• Albertus remains undefeated against Mitchell with an all-time series record of 13-0.
• Mitchell won the battle on the glass, 50-33, while Albertus held the advantage in fastbreak points, 23-9.
• Today's win marks Coach Fredette's 148th win for the women's basketball program. 
• Rivera recorded her second double-double of the year.
• Murray-Leach registered her fifth game with 20+ points.
• White netted a season-high 19 points.
• Scott has posted 20 or more points for the Falcons in the last three games. 

UP NEXT
The Falcons will return from the holiday on Tuesday, Jan. 3, for a home clash against Great Northeast Athletic Conference-foe Colby-Sawyer College. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM inside "The Nest," located within the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.