Framingham State Snaps Women’s Basketball Streak, 75-71

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Suffolk women's basketball's four-game win streak ended Saturday afternoon as Framingham State edged out the Rams, 75-71, at the Athletic Center. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 71 | Framingham State 75
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-3) | Framingham State (7-1)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
An early 8-3 edge held in Suffolk's favor before see-saw action ensued that saw FSU go up 14-13 with 2:32 left in the opening frame. Gabriella DeComo took over the for visiting Rams with back-to-back buckets before Alexis Hackett knocked down her fourth triple of the day to put Suffolk in front 20-14.  

Framingham outscored the blue-and-gold 6-3 over the final 1:40 of the first quartet to cut the gap to three, 23-20, at the end of the first 10 minutes. 

The hosts last momentum carried into the starting section of the second stanza, which caused the lead to swap before DeComo regained the advantage for the visitors, 25-24, with a layup at the 6:51 minute mark. From there, the score leveled at 27-all and FSU put up eight unanswered points to put the Boston Rams in a 35-27 hole with just under four minutes to go before intermission.  

After the teams traded hoops, Jenni-Rose DiCecco ignited a 7-2 Suffolk stretch that trimmed the margin to three, 39-36 with just over a minute to play in the second stanza, but Framingham scored two more points to hold a 41-36 half time lead.  

DiCecco opened the third with a triple and Allie Lopes lay-up off a FSU turnover equalized the clash at 41-all. The scored tied again at 43 before Framingham gained a 56-47 advantage at the midway point.  

Suffolk kept things interesting with back-to-back buckets from behind-the-arc from Hackett and Lopes to slice the distance down to four, 57-53, with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Framingham rattled off five quick points in the final 26 seconds though, to grow its cushion back to nine, 62-53.  

Sharp shooting from downtown helped the visiting Rams climb back again. Lily Patneaude struck first and Hackett followed suit to make it a two-possession game at the 8:00 minute mark. For every hoop Suffolk scored, Framingham had a response to keep the blue-and-gold at bay until the final few minutes. 

DeComo's jumper with 17 seconds pulled Suffolk within two. The Rams gambled with the foul game, sending Flannery O'Connor to the charity stripe, who sunk them both to push the hosts ahead to 75-71. The blue-and-gold had two chances to comeback, but both were off the mark. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Hackett produced a game-best 23 points behind an impressive 7-for-11 showing from three-point land to finish 8-for-13 on the day. She pulled down an outing-best 12 caroms as well to complete the double-double effort and go along with three assists, three steals and three blocks. 
• DeComo registered 15 points. 
• Jordan Hipwell recorded 10 points, two caroms and one helper. 
• DiCecco tallied nine assists, seven points, five rebounds, four steals and one block. 
• Suffolk shot 43.9 percent (29-66) from the floor, 33.3 percent from the behind-the-arc and did not miss either of its two freebies. 
• FSU out rebounded SU, 42-32.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Hackett matched a career-high 23 points as she produced her 27th double-double of her career, third of the season. 
• DiCecco matched a personal-best nine helpers.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk heads back to Boston for the final two games of first semester. The Rams will first host Clark Tuesday, Dec. 10. Tip-off at Smith Court is set for 7 p.m.