BOSTON – The Suffolk women's basketball team rewrote its record books Saturday afternoon as the Rams picked up a 104-99 overtime GNAC win over Albertus Magnus inside Regan Gymnasium on Senior Day.
Suffolk used the first 100-point game in the program's 40-year history to capture its third straight win, improving to 14-9 overall and 6-3 against GNAC opponents.
Chelsea Campellone and Alessandra Quadri each put on a show in front of the home crowd in their final home game of their careers. Quadri's 26 points led the Rams, while Campellone's 22-point, 13-rebound effort was good for the seniors 11th double-double of the season. Quadri added eight boards, three assist, two swats and one takeaway to her impressive stat line. Georgia Bourikas and Kelsey Schiebel also recorded double-figures for Suffolk with 19 and 17, respectively.
Suffolk finished the day with 48.6 connection rate (48.6) from the floor, shot 44.0 percent (11-25) from 3-point range and 72.4 percent (21-29) from the line. The Rams held advantages in points in the paint (44-34), points off mistakes (21-17) and had a 31-point spark off the bench.
Albertus Magnus (14-9, 6-3), who dropped its second straight GNAC contest, received a game-high 32-point, 16-rebound effort from Olivia Bolden. Liz Falcigno and Deja Ward tallied 24 and 22 for the Falcons, respectively. The guests shot just under 38 percent from the field and outrebounded the hosts, 51-42.
Both teams took advantage of their first two possessions, but it was the Falcons who jumped ahead from there 12-8. Quadri swished a three-ball to spark an 8-0 Suffolk run. The stretch featured five points off freebies and put the Rams ahead by four, 16-12, with 2:37 remaining in the first frame.
Albertus Magnus sandwiched triples around an and-1 from Campallone as the score moved to 19-17 in favor of the Rams. Angelina Piccirillo made the Falcons' third long ball of the quarter and took their first edge since the 5:17 minute mark. Alexandra Nagri matched the visitors' three with one of her own to send Suffolk to the bench ahead, 22-20.
The score leveled twice in the second stanza before the Rams strung together eight unanswered points to take their first 10-point advantage of the afternoon, 34-24. With half of the second quarter gone, Albertus Magnus put in six of the next nine points to cut Suffolk's lead to seven, but Quadri lit her third hoop from beyond-the-arc to bring it right back to double-figures. It was a back-and-forth contest down the stretch as Suffolk maintained its advantage heading into the half up, 47-36.
Out of the locker rooms Suffolk did not falter, holding a 63-49 lead at the midway of the third. The Rams went cold from the floor and the Falcons heated up behind Falcigno's shooting and Ward's driving. With 14 consecutive points, Albertus Magnus dead locked the contest at 63-all with 17 seconds on the clock in the third. Campellone sunk a free throw to keep Suffolk in front, 64-63, with one quarter to play.
Albertus Magus' momentum carried into the final frame as it took its first lead since the first quarter. The edge blossomed to a 69-64 lead just 1:10 into the fourth. The lead was short-lived as Schiebel and Bourikas each made three's and Suffolk was back in front again, 70-69.
Over the final eight minutes of regulation, the lead flip-flopped four times and tied eight with the last coming at 94 with 32 seconds remaining. With nine seconds remaining, Olivia Sutherland was sent to the charity stripe with a chance to give the Falcons an edge, but missed both. The same can be said for Nagri with seven seconds on the clock and the game would be determined in the extra session.
Overtime continued to be a tight contest as things evened at 96-all. From there, Quadri capitalized on a drive and had a hand in Bourikas' triple that pushed the Rams ahead, 101-97. The game came down to a free throw shooting contest and Suffolk prevailed, 104-99.
The overtime victory is the first for Suffolk since a 61-57 double-overtime triumph over Johnson & Wales February 8, 2014.
Prior to the dramatic tip-off, the Rams honored the playing careers of its three graduating seniors; Campellone, Katie Murray and Alessandra Quadri.
Suffolk closes out the regular season on the. The Rams will first visit Saint Joseph's (Conn.) Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m., before stopping by Mount Ida Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.
