EMMANUEL TOPS ALBERTUS MAGNUS IN PINK ZONE GAME
Feb. 15, 2011
BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel Saints remain undefeated in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play after a 94-44 win over the visiting Falcons of Albertus Magnus College on Tuesday night in the Jean Yawkey Center. Emmanuel now stands at 16-7 overall and 10-0 in GNAC play, while Albertus dropped to 8-14 on the season and 2-9 in the league.
The game was a "Pink Zone" contest, in support of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) nationwide effort to promote breast cancer awareness. The players from both teams warmed up in pink shirts, while the coaches and game operations staff donned pink attire and the referees officiated the game with hot pink whistles. All proceeds from the game will be donated to the WBCA/Kay Yow Breast Cancer Fund.
The contest began with the Saints charging out to a 10-0 lead in the opening four minutes, before the Falcons signaled for a quick timeout. Out of the timeout, Lianna Carrero (Hamden, Conn.) quickly knocked down a mid-range jumper to get the Falcons on the board.
Emmanuel then went on a 12-0 run to go up, 22-2, backed by ten quick points from GNAC Player of the Week Meghan Kirwan (Melrose, Mass.). Consecutive hoops from Carrero, Lindsay Karle (Wallingford, Conn.), and Katelyn White (Enfield, Conn.) were part of an ensuing 9-1 run by Albertus, which helped the Falcons hang on early in the game, as Emmanuel led 23-11 at the ten-minute mark.
The Saints held on to their solid double-figure lead for the remainder of the half and Emmanuel took a 45-17 lead into the break at halftime. Carrero led all scorers with 12 first-half points. Kirwan led the Saints with 10 points on 5 for 8 shooting. Emmanuel shot 51.2% (22-43) from the floor and the Saints out-rebounded the Falcons, 35-9 in the first half.
Emmanuel began the second half on an 8-0 run to go up 53-17. The Falcons then dropped three-straight buckets including a turn-around by Karle. Albertus went on a 10-6 run of their own, capped by a runner from Carrero and Emmanuel called for its first timeout of the night, leading 59-27.
Out of the timeout, freshman guard Darcey Sullivan (Dalton, Mass.) drained a baseline trey and classmate Jasmine Burwell (Brentwood, N.Y.) scored on the break to give the momentum back to the hosts. Freshman Liz Daley (Sharon, Mass.) sunk two more buckets on the break to put EC up, 72-27 at the ten-minute mark.
Freshman guard Talibah Jones (Inwood, N.Y.) hit a three to give some life back to the visitors, as Emmanuel led 88-44 with two minutes left in the contest. The Saints finished the game on a 6-0 run and Emmanuel pulled away with the 94-44 win.
Kirwan finished with 14 points in 13 minutes to lead Emmanuel. Both sophomore forward Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) and junior forward Jasmine Jean Jacques (Jamaica, N.Y.) hit for 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds apiece, while junior Jade Santos (Plymouth, Mass.) chipped in with 10 points off the bench for the Saints.
Karle finished with a game-high 17 points for Albertus. Carrero added 16 points and 4 asissts in the effort. The Falcons were perfect from the foul line as a team, sinking all six of their free throw attempts.
Emmanuel will host the Blue Jays of Saint Joseph College (CT) on Thursday (2/17) at 7pm in the Saints' last regular season home game. Emmanuel will then take on Johnson & Wales University on Saturday (2/19), before hosting the opening round of the GNAC Tournament next Tuesday at 7pm.