WNE Surges in Second Half to Take Down Women’s Basketball, 67-58

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Suffolk women's basketball led at the half, but was outscored 37-20 over the second half to fall to Western New England, 67-58, Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at the Alumni Healthful Living Center. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 58 | Western New England 67
RECORDS: Suffolk (10-5, 4-4 CCC) | Western New England (5-10, 3-5 CCC)   

HOW IT HAPPENED
Allie Lopes swished the first bucket of the day with a hoop behind-the-arc to start a back-and-forth affair. The lead switched five times from there with Natalie Fraioli reclaiming the edge for the blue-and-gold, 9-7, with her own triple a the 6:30 minute mark.  

The Golden Bears leveled the playing field at 9-all on their next possession, but the Rams rattled off an 8-1 run to go up, 17-10. Each team scored four apiece over the final four minutes of the quarter for Suffolk to sit in front 21-14 at the end of the first 10 minutes.  

It was all Suffolk in the first two minutes of the second, which allowed the Rams to build a baker dozen distance, 27-14. The game of runs swung in the Golden Bears favor as the blue-and-gold hit a scoring draught. With Suffolk scoreless over the next five minutes, WNE pulled back within five, 29-24, with 3:05 left in the second quarter.  

Lopes got the Rams' offense going with a jumper at the 2:48 minute mark. From there, the teams traded hoops the remainder of the quarter, which let Suffolk to take a 38-30 lead into the locker room. 

Suffolk stretched its cushion to 14, 44-30, in the first three minutes out of halftime. It was all Golden Bears from there as they scored 15 unanswered points to even things up at 44-44 with just under two minutes left on the clock in the third quarter. 

The lead bounced back-and-forth for the first time since the first frame and WNE found itself with the 47-46 advantage at the end of the third. 

See-saw action carried into the beginning of the fourth. Once again, the Rams fell victim to a handful of scoreless minutes. The Golden Bears capitalized on their opportunities to grab the 67-58 victory. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Jenni-Rose DiCecco finished with a game-high 17 points behind a 7-for-16 performance from the floor. She grabbed six boards to go along with two steals and one assist. 
• Amanda DeAngelis provided 11 point off the bench. She added six rebounds, three takeaways and one block. 
• Lopes notched nine points, three caroms and one dime. 
• Emily Welling added seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two swats. 
• Suffolk shot just 36.5 percent (22-63) from the field and 25.0 percent (4-16) from three-point land and 50.0 percent (8-16) from the line. 
• The Rams were outrebounded by the Golden Bears, 57-24.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk will be back in the friendly confines of Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court Tuesday, Jan. 25 when it entertains Gordon at 5:30 p.m.