Big First Quarter Enough to Power Women’s Hoops Past JWU, 68-56

THE BASICS 

Score: Johnson & Wales University, 56; Emmanuel College, 68

Records: Johnson & Wales Wildcats (10-11, 2-5 GNAC); Emmanuel College Saints (14-7, 6-2 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Andy Yosinoff Court

Date: Tuesday, February 4^th, 2020

THE LEAD: The Emmanuel College women's basketball team used a big first quarter performance to carry them past Johnson & Wales University, 68-56, Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action on the Andy Yosinoff Court. The Saints outscored the Wildcats by a 25-10 margin in the opening frame, never trailing in the action en route to the home victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Saints controlled the early action thanks to early post play by senior Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda (Cambridge, Mass.) and sophomore Loredana D'Agostino (East Windsor, Conn.), pushing a quick 16-4 lead through the first five minutes of play. EC went on to score another nine points while holding the Wildcats to only another six points led by Britney Gallagher (New City, N.Y.), closing the period 25-10.
• The second stanza got off to a slow start for both squads as neither side scored until JWU's Peyton Ryan (Nashua, N.H.) connected on a three at the 6:53 marker to break a scoreless quarter and move the score to 25-13. The Wildcats held the hosts to a dismal 3-for-16 shooting in the quarter to cut Emmanuel's lead to single digits heading into the half, 33-24
• Back-to-back hoops by EC junior guard Jamad Fiin (Boston, Mass.) opened the third quarter to swing the momentum back to the hosts who held a double-digit lead until Gallagher connected on a pair of free throws with 3:54 to play in the quarter to pull JWU to within eight at 41-33. Emmanuel outscored Johnson & Wales by a 10-5 margin over the final three minutes of action in the third to carry a 51-38 lead into the final quarter.
• JWU cut the lead to seven points (63-56) following and old-fashion three-point play by Gallagher but it was the closest the visitors would come in the fourth as the Saints held on for the. win 68-56

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Ramirez-Tejeda finished with a team-high 19 points to go along with eight rebounds.
• D'Agostino chipped in with 13 points and eight boards while senior guard Kayla Weaver (West Haven, Conn.) added 12 points.
• Gallagher led all scorers with 20 points, going 8-for-9 from the charity stripe.
• Maddy Moro (Catawissa, Pa.) collected a game-high 15 rebounds to go with 10 points for a JWU double-double.
• Emmanuel improves to 27-4 all-time against Johnson & Wales.

UP NEXT

• The Wildcats have a full week off before facing Anna Maria College on the road on Wednesday, February 12^th at 5:30 PM.
• EC will be facing their last non-conference opponent of the year on Thursday, February 6^th as they face Middlebury College at 7:00 PM.