BOSTON – Despite coming back and taking the lead in the first, the Suffolk women's basketball team could not hold off the Saints of Emmanuel as the Rams fell, 81-55, Tuesday night at Jean Yawkey Center. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 51, Emmanuel 88
RECORDS: Suffolk (14-5, 7-3 GNAC) | Emmanuel (13-6, 9-1 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
It took a while for Suffolk to get going and Emmanuel took advantage, building an early 8-1 lead. Alexis Hackett spearheaded a comeback for the Rams as the sophomore poured in seven points herself to pull within two, 12-10. 

After Georgia Bourikas connected on a three, Hackett gave the Rams their first lead of the night 17-16 at the 1:36 minute mark. 

The Saints leveled the playing field at 17-all, before the Rams outscored the hosts 6-4 over the remaining minutes of the first frame to take a 23-21 edge after one quarter. 

Emmanuel turned the tides fairly quickly in the second stanza as it rattled off 10 unanswered points to flip the switch and go ahead 33-28. Bourikas attempted to spur a comeback as the senior put together back-to-back buckets, but the Rams could not rally around the co-captain as the Saints held of the visitors. 

Over the remaining minutes of the second, Emmanuel outscored Suffolk, 14-6, to send the Rams into intermission down nine, 47-36. 

The third quarter was a Saints show with the Rams unable to find their grove, which put the blue-and-gold in a 74-47 deficit after 30 minutes. 

Suffolk did not make up any ground in the fourth as the Saints put on cruise control en route to the 81-55 victory. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Hackett led the way for the Rams with 15 points on a 7-for-9 showing from the field.
• Bourikas contributed 12 points and paced the Rams' effort on the glass with seven boards.
• Jenni-Rose DiCecco and Shannon Smith each added six points.
• Smith and Jordan Hipwell added five caroms apiece.
• Suffolk struggled from the floor, shooting just 33.3 percent (21-63) from the field and 29.3 percent (5-19) from the floor.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Hackett's team-high 15 points came behind her 10th double figure output of the season and third consecutive contest with double digits in scoring.
• Bourikas has reached double figures 15 times this season and in the last three games. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk looks to get back on track Thursday, Feb. 1 as it returns to the friendly confines of Regan Gymnasium for the final Rams' basketball double header of the regular season. The women's team gets the action underway at 5 p.m. against Anna Maria with the men's team facing Albertus Magnus in a rematch at 8 p.m.