Women’s Basketball Outlasts Nichols in Overtime, 97-90

DUDLEY, Mass. – Suffolk women's basketball knocked off Nichols in overtime, 97-90, Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Athletic Center. In the Commonwealth Coast Conference victory, Maddie Stewart became the first Ram in recent history to put together a triple-double effort.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 97 | Nichols 90
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-10, 6-8 CCC) | Nichols (6-15, 4-10 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Colby Guinta converted the first hoop of the day, a bucket from behind-the-arc, however the Bison responded with a trey of their own on their first possession to level the playing field.  

Nichols went up 10-5 at the 7:33 mark and the game went scoreless for nearly three minutes. Suffolk had to play catchup and worked its way back and lock things at 14 with 2:57 on the clock when Arlenis Veloz put in a pair of freebies. 

The teams traded points for the rest of the opening quarter until the final 20 seconds when the Rams scored four unanswered points, all from Madi Mahoney, grab a 24-22 edge.  

Déjà vu started the second stanza as Guinta poured in her second triple of the day to give the blue-and-gold its largest lead to that point, 26-22. 

The Bison battled back with seven straight points to go up one possession, 29-26. The Rams hung around until the final three minutes. After Ellie Moffat connected on a 3-pointer to trim the distance down to one, Nichols ended the quarter on an 11-2 stretch to send Suffolk into the locker room chasing 10, 49-39. R. 

Suffolk stormed out of half time and put together its own 11-2 run to make it a one-point, 51-50, game just 2:42 into the third quarter. Amanda DeAngelis was a huge ingredient to that stretch as the junior captain supplied all, but one bucket, eight points.  

Once again, the Bison restored a multi-possession edge, 60-53, however, this time the Rams clawed their way back. 

Aisling Crowely jump started a 17-6 blue-and-gold run that not only gave the visitors the lead, but put them in front by four at end of the third quarter. 

The fourth frame was an even match-up with the teams traded hoops until the Rams jumped ahead by double figures, 83-73, with 4:20 remaining in regulation. 

The Bison fought back with 10 straight points to tie things up at 83 with 26 seconds to go, a score that held as the buzzer sounded. 

Kya Burdier put in the first points of the extra session on her trip to the free throw line to send Nichols in front. Suffolk took over from there with an 13-3 run that made it a 96-88 Rams' game with 2:03 to play. This time the margin was too much ground for the Bison to make up and the blue-and-gold wrapped up the victory. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Stewart had a monster day with 17 rebounds, 13 points and 12 helpers. 
• DeAngelis finished with a double-double of 26 points and 18 rebounds with five steals and three helpers on her stat line as well. 
• Guinta notched 15 points, six caroms, six handouts, two takeaways and one block. 
• Katie Kirsch was on the verge of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. She added four dimes and two set-ups. 
• Madi Mahoney pitched in 12 points, six rebounds and one assist. 
• Aisling Crowley had 12 points, six caroms and two steals. 
• Suffolk outrebounded Nichols, 68-37. 
• The Bison converted the Rams' 36 turnovers into 29 points. 
• Suffolk poured in 58 points in the paint. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Nichols needed overtime to determine a winner for the first time in the all-time series, which dates back to 1979. 
• The Rams exceeded regulation for the first time since needing two overtimes in the 2020 GNAC Quarterfinals versus Albertus Magnus Feb. 25. 
• Suffolk won an overtime game for the first time since taking down the Falcons of Albertus Magnus, 103-95, in two OTs Feb. 25, 2020. 
• The Rams moved to 13-12 all-time against Nichols. 
• The Rams have won four games in a row versus the Bison. 
• The Rams are 8-1 against the Bison under Ed Leyden's leadership. 
• On the road, the Rams are 5-8 versus Nichols. 
• The 97 points scored are the most for the blue-and-gold since it poured in 101 in a 101-46 victory over Nichols Feb. 26, 2021. 
• Stewart notched a triple-double, the first of her collegiate career. It is the first known triple-double for a blue-and-gold player in recent history. 
• Stewart and Guinta both dished out a career-high assists with 12 and six, respectively.
• DeAngelis logged a double-double, her 11th of the season and 15th of her collegiate career. 
• Mahoney made a career-high six free throws.
• Crowley matched a personal-best 12 points and set a career-high in field goals made (6). 

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up a three-game road trip Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Curry at 5 p.m.