Written by Julia Ruocchio
When and Where:
February 20, 2024 - Patchogue, NY
Records:
St. Joseph's (L.I.), 18-8; U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 18-8
Results:
The St. Joseph's University (L.I.) women's basketball team defeated U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 62-54, in the first round of the Skyline Conference playoffs at the Danzi Center on Tuesday evening.
Top performers:
- Graduate Casey Travers scored a game-high 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc to lead the Golden Eagles, adding nine rebounds and a steal
- Junior Felicia Barreiros contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists
- Sophomore Megan Spina led all players with 10 rebounds, while adding five points and three assists
- Junior Isabella Sierra scored nine points with six rebounds, three assists, and a game-high three steals
- USMMA was led Emily Grasseler, who led the team with 21 points and nine rebounds, while adding a pair of steals
- Hannah Ramsden scored nine points with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals for the Mariners
- Kaira Winston contributed a game-high eight assists, and added eight points
How it happened:
- With the game tied at four with 8:28 on the clock, the Golden Eagles went on a 7-0 run to take an 11-4 lead. Travers hit a three to begin the run and scored five of the seven points
- St. Joseph's took a lead of seven again (17-10) on a layup for Travers with under a minute remaining, then the visitors scored the final four points of the quarter, but SJLI led by three (17-14) to finish the frame
- After a back-and-forth first three minutes of the second quarter, the Mariners tied the game at 21 on a basket for Cevyn Crutcher at the 6:32 mark
- The hosts responded by scoring the next two baskets, with sophomore Emma Kelly and Barreiros scoring to put SJLI up by four 5:41 on the clock
- With the Golden Eagles ahead by two (27-25) with 4:42 remaining, Travers and graduate Julianna Knice each connected with three-point baskets in the span of the next 45 seconds to increase their lead to eight (33-25) with 3:06 on the clock. SJLI then went into the break up by six (33-27)
- St. Joseph's began the third quarter with a 7-0 run, with Sierra connecting for a three to begin the frame, to extend their lead to 13 (40-27) a minute and a half into the quarter
- The Golden Eagles led by 12 (42-30) halfway through the quarter, then the Mariners went on an 8-0 run to trim their deficit to four (42-38) with 2:14 on the clock. Grasseler scored four points during the run
- USMMA continued their momentum by scoring four of the final six points to finish the third quarter, as the visitors went into the final frame down by just two (44-42)
- The Mariners tied the game on their first possession of the fourth quarter on a jumper for Sydney Brown (44-44)
- The Golden Eagles responded about a minute later, as Kelly and Travers delivered with back-to-back three-pointers to put the hosts ahead by six (50-44) about two minutes into the quarter
- Shortly after, St. Joseph's took a lead of 10 (55-45) on a three for Sierra at the 6:21 mark
- The Mariners began to chip away at SJLI's lead, as Ramsden's three-point play and Grasseler's four points brought the visitors within four (56-52) with 2:50 remaining
- Travers responded with a three shortly after to put the Golden Eagles back up by seven (59-52) with 1:19 on the clock, before St. Joseph's came away with a 62-54 victory to advance
Notes:
- St. Joseph's shot 38.7% from the field and 29.6% from three-point range
- USMMA posted a 33.3% shooting percentage overall and did not make a three-point shot (0-for-13)
- The Golden Eagles held the advantage in rebounds (43-37) and points in the paint (24-18)
- SJLI received nine points from their bench compared to USMMA's six
Next up:
The Golden Eagles advance to the semifinals and will travel to face top-seeded Manhattanville College on Thursday, February 22nd. Time to be determined
