Second Half Surge Leads Women’s Basketball Past Wentworth, 65-49

Second Half Surge Leads Women’s Basketball Past Wentworth, 65-49

BOSTON – The Suffolk women's basketball team overcame a 12-point deficit and outscored Wentworth, 37-17, in the second half for a 65-49 triumph over its Boston rival inside Regan Gymnasium.

After career-high performance Tuesday night, Chelsea Campellone put up new career-best numbers with a monster game of 30 points and 17 boards. Campellone is the first player to put in 30 points since Jennifer Ruys '14 scored 31 at Rivier January 31, 2013, while her 17 rebounds are the most for a Ram since Tori Brillaud '15 grabbed 18 against Johnson & Wales February 5, 2013. The senior, who notched her fourth double-double of the season, shot 9-of-17 from the field and had a 12-of-14 outing at the line. Georgia Bourikas and Caitlyn Caramello each had 10 point days off the bench. Bourikas added six boards, two assists, two steals and one block to her stat line, while Caramello chipped in 10 caroms, one assist and one takeaway to Suffolk's (6-3) winning effort.

Wentworth (4-5) saw three different players in double figures with Carly Rogers' 13 points and nine boards leading the way. Haley Sabino tallied 12 points with Rachael Camara rounding out the threesome with 11.

Poor shooting faltered both teams over the first three minutes as neither team scored. Megan McLaughlin struck first as she put Wentworth on the board with a three, before Campellone responded with a two. A back-and-forth game ensued, before the Leopards built a five-point margin that held throughout the remaining minutes of the first frame.  

In the second stanza, Suffolk could not dig itself out of its shooting slump and Wentworth took advantage, building a double digit lead, 28-18, with 4:23 on the clock before half. Kelsey Schiebel kept the Rams in the hunt as the floor general started a 10-2 Suffolk spurt with a set from the charity stripe. The run featured two triples from Schiebel including one with just 10 seconds on the clock to make it a four-point game, 32-28, as the teams headed to the locker rooms.  

Suffolk fell victim to a 25.6 connection rate (10-39) from the field over the first 20 minutes, while Wentworth shot 40.0 percent (12-30) from the floor. Campellone led the way for the Rams with 11 points and six boards with Schiebel adding eight points, all within the final four minutes of play. 

Out of the half, the teams traded hoops. Suffolk hung with Wentworth and slowly turned up the volume to chip away at the Leopards' advantage. Campellone brought the Rams within two on a set of free throws, before Schiebel set-up Alexandra Quadri for a game-tying, fast-break lay-up at 2:57.  

On Suffolk's next possession Bourikas shot a straight away trey that swished through the netting to give the Rams' their first lead of the afternoon, 44-41, with just over one minute remaining in the third. As time ticked down, Quadri blocked Camara's jumper in the paint and sent the ball ahead to Schiebel who found Bourikas cutting across the lane to give Suffolk a 46-41 lead.   

The fourth quarter had the 173 fans invested in every hoop as Suffolk pilled on back-to-back baskets for a 50-43 advantage. The Leopards got in on the scoring frenzy, but the Rams now were firing on all cylinders and had an answer for every black-and-gold hoop. On Campellone's sixth trip to the free throw line, the senior forward set a new career-high with a good pair to put Suffolk out in front 56-47 with 4:04 remaining.

The Rams did not look back the rest of the way as they held on for the 65-49 victory.  

Suffolk caps off 2015 Monday night as it welcomes Springfield to Boston for a non-conference contest.