Caramello’s Career Night Leads Women’s Basketball Past Anna Maria, 73-45

BOSTON – Sophomore Caitlyn Caramello's career night pushed the Suffolk women's basketball team past Anna Maria, 73-45, in GNAC action at Regan Gymnasium Thursday night.

Caramello went 6-of-8 from the floor and at the line to tally a game-high 18 points. In addition to her career-high points and shooting percentage, the Revere, Massachusetts product produced a career-first four dimes and matched her best number in steals with two takeaways.  The 5-foot-8 forward led a trio of Rams in double figures as Chelsea Campellone and junior Georgia Bourikas provided 15 and 12, respectively. Campellone matched a career-high of her own as the senior forward grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds to register her eighth double-double effort of the season.

As a team, Suffolk (11-7, 3-2 GNAC) shot 35.6 percent from the floor, 71.1 percent from the line and outrebounded Anna Maria (6-12, 0-6 GNAC), 54-46. The Rams also held a slim advantage in points in the paint, 24-22, and capitalized off turnovers (16-10) and second chances (11-9).

Samantha Parker put in a double-double effort of her own for the AMCATS with the reserve recording 11 points and a team-best 13 boards. Christina Gauvin also notched double figures with a team-high 12.

Suffolk grabbed the tip and used it to its advantage as Caramello scored the first hoop of the night on a put back. The Rams rolled from there, taking a 9-0 lead before Anna Maria's Nicole Mareiro swished a triple to put the AMCATS on the board at 5:35. Over the latter portion of the first frame, Suffolk's points doubled and the host held an 18-7 edge after one.

The combination of a hot Gauvin from long range for the AMCATS and a struggling Suffolk offense from the floor made things interesting as the score moved to 18-13 in favor of the Rams. Thanks to an impressive 10-of-12 performance at the charity stripe, the hosts were able to hold onto a 32-21 advantage at the half.

Caramello's hot hand did not cool off in the second half as she combined with four teammates to push Suffolk's lead to 20 points. After a trey from Bourikas and two quick buckets from Caramello with 3:00 minutes remaining in the third, Anna Maria went on a 7-2 spurt to play catchup, but Bourikas buried another long ball to keep the AMCATS at a 55-32 distance heading into the final frame.

The Rams pilled on the points in the fourth and took they took their largest lead of the night, 71-39, with 2:30 on the clock, before closing out the game, 73-45.

Suffolk takes the weekend off and returns to the friendly confines of Regan Gymnasium Tuesday night in its non-conference closer against UMass Boston at 7 p.m. Anna Maria will hit the hardwood this week as the AMCATS host Emmanuel Saturday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m.