WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Despite a trio of Falcons with double-figures, the No. 3 Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team fell to in-state rival No. 2 University of Saint Joseph's, 76-66, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Semifinals on Thursday inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium. Albertus finished its season with an overall record of 20-7 and 11-7 in the GNAC, while USJ continued its postseason run at 24-3 and 13-1.
Caitlyn Scott (White Plains, N.Y.) led all scorers with 23 points, while classmate Natasha Rivera (Ansonia, Conn.) tied for a season-high four blocks. Jakara Murray-Leach (Norwalk, Conn.) totaled 19 points, while Diamond White (Hamden, Conn.) posted 12 points.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 66 | University of Saint Joseph's 76
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (20-7, 11-3 GNAC) | University of Saint Joseph's (24-3, 13-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Rivera opened the scoring for either side with a smooth layup off a side pass from White less than 30 seconds into the opening quarter. The senior played aggressive defense in back-to-back plays with a block and a pair of defensive boards, but the Blue Jays halted both plays with steals but neither team could capitalize on the turnovers.
- Down by one, White forced a steal to set up a fastbreak layup by Scott followed by an explosive block and defensive rebound by Murray-Leach for another Scott-driving layup to put the Falcons up by one.
- Jordan Ouellette matched baskets for USJ to put the hosts up, 7-6, before Murray-Leach's layup off the pass from Scott pushed Albertus up by one to regain the lead. The Falcons stood tall on defense to force USJ to use the entire shot clock and denied any good looks for four scoreless minutes to keep the Falcons within one, 9-8.
- Maya Slisz netted a jump shot in the paint to put the Blue Jays up, 19-14, after the opening quarter.
- Three straight buckets from deep by Rivera, Amanda Zdru (Stratford, Conn.) and White narrowed the margin to within one with 7:56 remaining in the half.
- With a three-point deficit, Scott went to the line for Albertus Magnus followed by a layup by the senior off an offensive board from Murray-Leach to even the score, 28-28. Scott drew an and one off the layup to regain the one-point lead.
- Slisz connected for a three-pointer before White's layup knotted the score at 31 apiece before Murray's steal and fastbreak layup put Albertus up 33-31. Amanda Judge closed out the half with a jumper to keep the home team up, 37-34.
- USJ came out the locker room hot with 10 unanswered points before Murray-Leach's free throw halted the scoring run and kept Albertus within 10 points. Murray-Leach racked up the next points on the hardwood off an offensive rebound and layup.
- A 13-8 Albertus run narrowed the deficit to within four points, ignited by a three-pointer by Murray-Leach and capped off by back-to-back threes by Scott and White. USJ recorded six free throws to hold onto the lead, 76-66, until the final buzzer.
TEAM STATS
Albertus 40.0 FG% | 27.6 3PT% | 54.5 FT%
USJ 44.3 FG% | 45.5 3PT% | 85.0 FT%
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES
Albertus
Caitlyn Scott 23 Points | 4 Rebounds | 4 Assists | 1 Steal
Jakara Murray-Leach 19 Points | 6 Rebounds | 2 Assists | 3 Steals | 2 Blocks
Natasha Rivera 9 Points | 6 Rebounds | 2 Assists | 1 Steal | 4 Blocks
USJ
Taylor Verboven 20 Points | 8 Rebounds | 2 Assists | 1 Steal | 1 Block
Jordan Ouellette 18 Points | 14 Rebounds | 4 Assists | 1 Block
Maya Slisz 21 Points | 4 Rebounds
NOTEWORTHY
- Albertus led with points in the paint in the first two quarters with 10 and eight, respectively, but only had three second-chance points in the second quarter.
- White posted a dozen points for a career total 996 and a season-high 408 points.
- The Blue Jays hold the all-time record 31-10, including a regular season road win earlier in the month.
