Women’s Basketball Falls at UMass Dartmouth, 79-64

DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The Suffolk women's basketball team came up short in the Lafrance Hospitality Classic Sunday afternoon as the Rams fell to the tournament's host UMass Dartmouth, 79-64, at Tripp Gymnasium. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 64 | UMass Dartmouth 79
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-2) | UMass Dartmouth (3-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Jordan Hipwell connected on back-to-back triples to put the Rams ahead early 8-7, before the lead exchanged three times with the Corsairs in front 11-10. The hosts then went on an 8-0 stretch to put Suffolk in a 19-10 hole. Jenni-Rose DiCecco ended the first quarter with two free throws to trim the margin to 19-12. 

UMass Dartmouth kept Suffolk at a distance the majority of the second stanza. The Rams made a run at the midway point behind eight straight points as Rachel LaSaracina and DiCecco each connected from behind-the-arc to cut the deficit to three, 30-27. 

The Corsairs responded with four unanswered points of their own to reclaim a three-possession claim over the Rams. DiCecco and Gabriella DeComo teamed up to end the first half with a 6-0 stretch to make it a one-point game, 34-33, as the teams headed to the locker rooms. 

UMD put away the first six points of the third, but once again Suffolk made up the ground. DeComo anchored the comeback, scoring six of Suffolk's 8-2 spurt to put the Rams within one, 42-41. 

The game of runs continued as the Corsairs regained a 50-41 cushion and the Rams made a late push with buckets from Hipwell, Natalie Fraioli and Alexis Hackett to keep things interesting and send the championship contest into the fourth frame with Suffolk down just five, 54-39. 

Suffolk carried its late third quartet momentum into the fourth as DeComo leveled the playing field at the 8:00 minute mark and DiCecco pushed the Rams in front with a triple just 28 seconds later. 

The Rams went ice cold from there, however, not scoring over the next five minutes. In the meantime, Dartmouth heated up, dropping 11 points to put a 69-61 distance between the foes. 

Suffolk did not have enough time to make up the ground and gambled with the foul game, but the Corsairs held their composure to take the contest, 79-64.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• DiCecco led the way with a 22-point effort. Over 40 minutes the sophomore shot 7-for-26 from the field, 4-for-16 from three-point land and 4-for-5 at the line. She added four rebounds, two handouts and a pair of steals to her stat line.
• DeComo finished the outing with 11 points on a 4-for-9 effort from the floor and a 3-for-4 showing at the charity stripe. She recorded six boards, one assist and one takeaway.
• Hipwell completed the trio of Rams in double figures with 10 to her credit.
• Hackett hand an all-around game of 16 caroms and eight points to go with three dimes, four blocks and two steals.
• Suffolk shot 35. 8 percent from the floor (24-67), 28.0 percent (7-25) from three-point range and 75.0 percent (9-12) from the foul line. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and UMass Dartmouth met for the second time and first since 2008.
• The Rams moved to 1-1 all-time versus the Corsairs.
• DiCeco matched a season-high 22 points, producing her second 20-point plus game of the season and ninth of her career. The Falmouth, Massachusetts, native has contributed double figures in each of Suffolk's five games this season.
• Hackett had her third consecutive contest with double digit rebounds, matching a season-high 16. 
• DiCecco was named to the all-tournament team.

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes the next week off for Thanksgiving and will be back in action Monday, Nov. 26 when it welcomes Curry to Regan Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. non-conference clash.