Written by Julia Ruocchio
When and Where:
January 16, 2024 - Patchogue, NY
Records:
St. Joseph's (L.I.), 11-5, 8-3 Skyline; U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 8-6, 5-5 Skyline
Results:
The St. Joseph's University (L.I.) women's basketball team earned a 71-64 win over U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in a conference match-up at the Danzi Center on Tuesday evening.
Top performers:
- Senior Lanyah Ford powered the Golden Eagles with a 24-point performance while adding nine rebounds
- Graduate Casey Travers scored 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field with four rebounds and two steals
- Sophomore Megan Spina added 10 points and shot 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, adding five rebounds and a pair of steals
- Graduate Julianna Knice contributed a team-high five assists and three steals with eight points
- The Mariners were led by Emily Grasseler, who recorded a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds
- Kaira Winston scored 16 points for U.S.M.M.A. with a game-high 11 assists for a double-double, while adding seven rebounds and a game-high six steals
How it happened:
- The Golden Eagles scored the first points, with Spina knocking down a three on the first possession of the game
- The Mariners proceeded to take a 4-3 lead on a pair of baskets for Grasseier, then another bucket for Grasseier at the 5:32 mark gave the visitors a 9-7 lead
- Travers responded with a jumper eight seconds later to knot the game at nine, then with the hosts trailing by two (11-9) with two minutes to go, St. Joseph's scored the final seven points of the quarter to take a lead of five (16-11) into the second frame
- The Golden Eagles scored five of the first seven points of the second quarter, with Knice's three with 8:13 on the clock extending the lead to eight (21-13)
- USMMA responded with a 7-2 run, which trimmed their deficit to three (23-20) on a basket for Winston at the 4:52 mark. 16 seconds later, Travers responded with a three to go ahead by six
- The Golden Eagles finished the second quarter with their largest lead of the first half, as they took a 10-point lead (33-23) into the break on Spina's three in the frame's final minute
- The visitors scored the first five points of the third quarter, which was part of a 9-2 run that trimmed the lead to three (35-32)
- Ford's three-point play at the 5:33 mark brought the hosts back ahead by five (40-35), then Hannah Ramsden's three about a minute later cut the lead to two again (40-38)
- Each team exchanged baskets three times, then a free throw for Ramsden brought the Mariners within two once again (47-45) with 1:14 remaining in the quarter
- The Golden Eagles scored five straight points to end the third, with Spina's three with 16 seconds remaining increasing the lead to seven (52-45) going into the final frame
- Sophomore Emma Kelly made a three to begin the quarter, which sparked a 9-2 run for the hosts. SJLI scored the first seven points of the fourth, scoring 12 straight points going back to the third quarter. Ford scored six points during the run, with her final basket extending the lead to 14 (61-47) at the 6:40 mark
- Travers made a pair of layups that increased the lead to 16 (67-51) with 4:26 remaining in the quarter
- Merchant Marine went on a 7-0 run to come within single digits (67-58), then cut the deficit to eight (70-62) with less than a minute remaining before the Golden Eagles secured a 71-64 win
Notes:
- St. Joseph's shot 43.1% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range
- USMMA posted a 42.1% shooting percentage from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc
- SJLI shot 72.2% on free-throws compared to the Mariners' 61.9% free-throw percentage
- Merchant Marine held the advantage in rebounds (40-33) and points in the paint (34-26)
- The Golden Eagles had 12 bench points compared to the Mariners' four
Next up:
The Golden Eagles host Sarah Lawrence for a conference match-up on Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 pm.
