Box Score WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DEFEATS AIC IN NE-10
QUARTERFINALS, 67-56
PACE ADVANCES TO NE-10 SEMIFINALS
SPRINGFIELD, MA - The 6th seeded Pace
University women's basketball team defeated the 3rd
seeded and 20th ranked Yellow Jackets of American International
College, 67-56, in the Quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 Conference
Tournament at Butova Gymnasium in Springfield, MA. The Setters
improve to 22-7 on the season and advance to the Semifinals of the
Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. The Yellow Jackets fall to 21-7
and will await a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The first half witnessed tight basketball action with five ties
and three lead changes, as both teams battled for control. Down by
four, 16-12, with 11:24 remaining in the half, the Yellow Jackets
would use a 13-2 to take a seven-point advantage, 25-18. Alexis
Castro led AIC's run scoring eight of the 13 points. AIC would take
their largest lead of the half, 30-22, on a pair of free throws
from Jen Nnanna. The Setters would cut the deficit to five, 32-27,
heading into the break.
The second half was just as tight, featuring six ties and nine
lead changes, as both teams looked to pull away. Pace took
their first lead of the second half on a three-pointer from
Hannah Sheppard (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) (Norwich, CT/Norwich Free
Academy), as the Setters began the second frame on a 10-2
run. Down by one, 52-51, with 7:44 remaining in the game, Pace
would go on a 16-4 run to end the game. Sheppard and Liran
Buchris (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South) combined for 14
points, scoring eight and six points respectively to ice the game
for the Setters. Pace held AIC to 24 points in the second half on
7-for-29 (24.1%) shooting, including just 3-for-11 from beyond the
arc.
Leading the way for the Setters was Sheppard, who recorded a
double-double scoring a team-high 17 points to go along with a
team-high 10 rebounds. Sheppard did most of her scoring damage from
the free throw line, going 11-for-12, while connecting on 2-for-4
from three. Buchris contributed with 14 points, while dishing out a
game-high six assists. Stephanie Klingele (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) (Staten
Island, NY/St. John Villa) added 12 points on 5-for-10
shooting and five rebounds, while Ashley Wallace (Oswego, NY/Oswego) (Oswego,
NY/Oswego) finished the night with 10 points. For the
game, the Setters shot 38.9% (21-for-54) from the field, including
4-for-16 (25.0%) from three and 21-for-23 (91.3%) from the line.
AIC was led by Alexis Castro, who recorded a double-double with
a game-high 18 points on 7-for-21 shooting, to go along with a
game-high 14 rebounds. Stacy Boisvert was the only other Yellow
Jacket in double figures with 10 points. Boisvert also dished out a
team-high four assists to go along with seven rebounds. For
the game, AIC shot 32.1% (18-for-56) from the field, including
5-for-16 (31.3%) from three and 75.0% (15-for-20) from the charity
stripe. The Yellow Jackets held the rebounding edge, 41-33.
The Setters return to action on Friday, March 2nd, as
they travel to the J.W. Moore Field House in New Haven, CT to take
on the #2 seed College of Saint Rose in the Semifinals of the
Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00
p.m. As the #1 seed, Southern Connecticut State University will
host the Semifinals and Finals (Final Four) of the NE-10
Tournament.
