WOMEN'S HOOP TEAM TOPS JWU; SAINTS TO HOST EMERSON IN GNAC CHAMPIONSHIP
Feb. 27, 2009
BOSTON, Mass. - The top-seeded Emmanuel Women's Basketball Team knocked off the 4th-seeded Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University, 61-47, in one of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) semifinal games played at the Jean Yawkey Center on Friday night. Emmanuel's junior captain and the GNAC Player of the Year Iman Davis (Toms River, N.J.) poured in 17 points and grabbed a GNAC tournament single-game record 21 rebounds to pace the host Saints. Emmanuel improved to 20-7 on the season and will now host the GNAC Championship Game on Saturday afternoon at 3pm. The Wildcats wrapped up their season at 15-12 overall.
The visitors shot well from long range in the early going with senior guard Johanna Santosuosso (Salem, N.H.) and junior forward Alexia Ramirez (San Marcos, Calif.) combining for 3 three-pointers in the opening seven minutes of play. After Santosuosso's second trey, Johnson & Wales led by five, 13-8, with 12:54 to play in the half.
An Emmanuel jumper by Karin Bird (Lee, Maine) and a bucket and a free throw by Davis tied the contest at 13-13 with 10:35 on the clock. A Wildcat hoop by Jeniphr Moxley (Lakewood, Wash.) put JWU back on top, before a 10-2 Emmanuel run brought the score to 24-17 in favor of the hosts. The Wildcats then put together a quick 6-2 run of their own to close out the half down three points, 26-23. Emmanuel's offense struggled in the waning moments of the half, as the Saints managed just one field goal in the final 3:42.
Johnson & Wales connected on four first-half treys, while the Saints missed all six of their three-pointers. The Saints' pressure defense forced Johnson & Wales into poor field goal shooting in the first half, as the Wildcats hit just 8 of 32 attempts from the floor (25%). Emmanuel dominated the boards in the first half and held a 28-21 rebounding margin at the break. Despite committing 14 first half turnovers to just 12 by the Wildcats, the Saints took a three point edge (26-23) into the locker room at halftime.
Out of the break, the Saints extended their lead to 9 points, 32-23, after two hoops by Davis and a layup by Kristin LeBel (Tolland, Conn.). The Wildcats chipped away and managed to bring the contest to its 4th tie of the game at 38-38 after a Ramirez jumper. The two teams exchanged hoops and after the 5th tie, a free throw by Moxley gave the Wildcats a one-point edge, 42-41, with 8:21 on the clock.
Emmanuel went back on top, 43-42, after a layup by Casey Shevlin (Medford, N.Y.) at 7:05. The Saints would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game, stretching their margin to as many as fourteen points, to finish the game with a 61-47 spread.
Emmanuel forced 24 JWU turnovers and the Wildcats shot just 23.4% (15-64) from the field on the night. The Saints continued to struggle from deep, missing all 15 of their shots from behind the arc. Emmanuel also shot just 50% (13-26) from the line, but out-rebounded the Wildcats, 56-46 for the game.
Davis came away with game-high honors in points, rebounds, and steals, with 17, 21, and 5, respectively. The junior guard shot 8 for 19 from the floor in a solid 35-minute effort. Junior captain Abby Brenkach (Germantown, N.Y.) was perfect from the field, hitting all five of her attempts, while also hauling in 6 boards. LeBel finished with 11 points, going 7 for 9 from the line.
Ramirez, a GNAC 1st-Team All-Conference pick, played the full forty minutes for JWU and recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, to go along with her 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocked shots. Senior guard Alyse Ragaglia (West Newbury, Mass.) chipped in with 8 points, while Santosuosso, who was named to the GNAC 2nd Team, finished with 6 points and 4 assists for the visitors.
Emmanuel will now advance to the GNAC Championship Game on Saturday (2/28). The Saints will host the 2nd-seeded Lions of Emerson College in the Gymnasium of the Jean Yawkey Center. The game is scheduled to tip off at 3pm. Emerson defeated 3rd-seeded Norwich University, 67-62, in the other semifinal match-up played in Boston.
Emmanuel will be looking to win its 13th GNAC Championship and to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in program-history.