Fourth Quarter Frenzy Pushes Women’s Basketball Past Anna Maria

PAXTON, Mass. – Behind 12 fourth quarter points from Alexis Hackett, the Suffolk women's basketball team outscored Anna Maria, 21-9, in the final frame to complete the comeback and secure a 66-59 GNAC victory over the AMCATS inside the Fuller Activities Center Thursday night. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 66, Anna Maria 59
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-5, 3-1 GNAC) | Anna Maria (2-9, 0-4 GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
For every hoop Suffolk put away over the first minute Anna Maria responded, quite literally as the teams traded a two- and three-pointers to sit tied at 5-all. 

The Rams momentum cooled off as they did not convert a field goal over a 5:57 span and the AMCATS used that to their advantage, storming ahead, 15-7, thanks to 10 unanswered points. Kelsey Schiebel ended the draught on a good layup with 3:03 on the clock and Suffolk used three quick points to remain within striking distance of Anna Maria, trailing 18-14 at the end of the first quarter. 

Caitlyn Caramello tied the contest at 20-all with a good layup and put Suffolk in front thanks to converting on the freebie for a good traditional three-point play. The lead was shortlived as the squads swapped baskets, before back-to-back treys from Schiebel gave the Rams a 27-23 lead with 6:40 to play before halftime. 

Suffolk went on another scoring lull, this time a 6:00 span. The AMCATS once again took advantage of the Rams' poor percentage and sent the visitors into the locker room down, 38-30. 

Hackett kept the Rams in the game out of the break, but it wasn't long until the hosts gained a double-figure edge, 45-34, at the 7:06 minute mark. The AMCATS went ahead by as many as 12 before Marissa Gudauskas carried Suffolk on her back. The sophomore guard went on a 7-0 run alone to bring the blue-and-gold within five, 50-45, heading into the final quarter. 

Hackett picked up where Gudauskas left off as the freshman buried back-to-back triples to lock the play game at 53-all just 2:56 into the fourth frame. A free throw from Katelyn Rourke and a pair of freebies by Alexandra Nagri gave Suffolk a three-point cushion with under five to play in the contest.

Suffolk secured the victory down the stretch at the free throw line, going 6-of-6 in the final two minutes all of which were put in by Hackett.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Hackett combined her 12 fourth quarter points with six others to finish the day with a career-best 18. The freshman shot 3-for-9 from the floor, but the true story was as the foul line as the forward went a perfect 10-for-10 including six in the final frame. She added six rebounds, three blocks and one assist in a reserve effort.
• Gudauskas a crucial ingredient in the comeback proved nine points off the bench to go along with one handout, one board, and one steal.
• Bourikas added nine points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
• Nagri and Schiebel chipped in eight points apiece.
• Suffolk and Anna Maria were even in rebounds (36), assists (14) and steals (7).
• The Rams shot just 36.0 percent (18-50) from the field (18-50) and 31.6 percent (6-19) from three-point range, but excelled at the line going 77.4 percent (24-31).

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk remains undefeated all-time against Anna Maria as the Rams collected their sixth straight victory over the AMCATS.
• Suffolk's three-game win streak marks the longest of the season.  
• Hackett finished the day with career-highs in points (18) and blocks (3).
• Gudauskas put in a season-high nine points.

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk will play in front of its home crowd for the first time in 2017 Thursday, Jan. 12 as the Rams entertain Albertus Magnus to Regan Gymnasium a apart of a blue-and-gold doubleheader with the Falcons. The women's squad gets things started at 5 p.m. followed by the men's tip-off at 7:15 p.m.