BOSTON – The Suffolk women's basketball team closed its regular-season road slate in winning fashion as three different Rams racked up double figures to lead the blue-and-gold to a 57-44 victory at Simmons Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 57, Simmons 44
RECORDS: Suffolk (17-7, 12-3 GNAC) | Simmons (6-13, 5-8 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Over the first 10 minutes, five different Suffolk players recorded a point and the Rams held the Sharks without a field goal of 9:34 to give the visitors a nice 12-4 cushion. Things started out with a 7-0 Rams run and the blue-and-gold charged ahead from there.
Suffolk hit a second stanza slump and Simmons took advantage. The Sharks outscored the Rams, 15-9, to make it a two-point game, 21-19, with 1:13 on the clock before the break. A freebie by Georgia Bourikas and a jumper from Kelsey Schiebel brought the blue-and-gold's lead back to four, but Lauren Brandau's layup as time expired to trim Suffolk's lead to 24-21 at the half.
A tight contested, third period showed out of the intermission. See-saw action ensued with neither team combining back-to-back buckets allowing the Sharks to make it a one-point game, 30-29, with just five minutes to play.
Simmons took its first lead of the afternoon at the 3:47 minute mark of the third frame and remained in front with 1:48 remaining in the quarter. Alexis Hackett took matters into her own hands as the freshman's traditional three-point play combined with a layup in transition regained a three-point distance for the Rams. Suffolk continued its late surge with a hoop from Caitlyn Caramello and a set of free throw from Hackett to head into the final 10 minutes up seven, 41-34.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Katelyn Rourke lead the Rams on both ends of the hardwood with the rookie Ram contributing 11 points and 15 rebounds, 11 of which came down on the defensive end. She shot 5-for-7 from the floor and added two assists to her effort.
- Caramello and Hackett had 10 points each. Hackett shot 50.0 percent from the floor and chipped in eight boards, four steals and three assists, while Caramello went 57.1 percent from the floor and added four caroms and two assists.
- Bourikas and Kelsey Schiebel were each on the verge of double figures, tallying nine and eight points, respectively.
- Suffolk put together a 45.1 connection rate from the field to off-set its off-day on the outside, going just 20.0 percent (3-15) from three-point range and 8-of-15 at the charity stripe.
- The Rams limited the Sharks to a 23.1 connection rate (15-65) from the floor, 33.3 percent (2-6) from the downtown, but Simmons took advantage of every shot taken the free throw line, going 12-for-12.
- On the glass, Suffolk won the battle, outrebounding the Sharks, 46-35.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk's 12 GNAC wins mark the most conference victories by a Rams' squad in the history of the program.
- Rourke connected on her second double-double of the season.
POST-GAME PIC
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk returns to the friendly confines of Regan Gymnasium for one final regular-season game next Saturday, Feb. 18 for a 1 p.m. tip-off versus crosstown and conference rival Emmanuel.