PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Senior
Margo Hackett recorded a new career high on Saturday when she netted 29 points in Pace's overtime loss to #12 Adelphi.
The Setters displayed excellent defense in the opening two minutes of the game as Adelphi was unable to get on the board while Hackett scored a pair of baskets, one from distance. After the Panthers connected from downtown, junior
Yuni Sher converted a pair of layups on back-to-back Setter possessions to pull Pace up by four. Knotted up at nine-all, Hackett again went to work as she banked in an underhand layup to spark a 9-3 Pace run that was capped off by a
Christina Rubin triple. Midway through the pivotal rally Sher pulled down a defensive rebound that marked the 500
th of her three-year career. She now ranks 21
st all-time with 513 boards in a Pace uniform.
With 8:28 to play in the half, Hackett hit another triple, the 172
nd of her career, to give Pace a five-point lead and advance her to third all-time on the Pace University Women's Basketball three-pointers list.
The Setters began to pull away with 6:48 remaining in the half while clinging to a 21-18 lead. Sophomore
Kirsten Dodge scored on a jumper to surge a 15-4 Pace rally that featured seven points by Hackett including the run-capping longball. Hackett closed out the half with four points behind a layup and a pair of free throws, and the Setters took a 40-30 lead into the break.
Hackett was dominant in the opening half, netting 21 points behind 7-9 (77.7%) shooting from the field, and 3-5 (60%) shooting from distance. Sher and
Jaclyn Oskam each netted six points in the half, with Sher pulling down ten rebounds. Pace held the nation's 12
th ranked team to just 32.4% (12-37) shooting from the field in the opening half.
More hot shooting in the second as Hackett welcomed the new period with a three-pointer on the opening possession for the Setters. Then, with 17:38 to play, Pace rallied for six straight points behind a pair of Sher baskets and a
Gabriella Rubin layup. After Adelphi cut it to single digits, G. Rubin struck again, scoring seven points in just 1:57 of play with a pair of layups and a three.
After the Panther offense began to catch fire, Adelphi claimed a three-point advantage with just 1:16 to play. 13 seconds later, G. Rubin took the Oskam feed on the perimeter and drained the clutch three-pointer to knot things up at 61-61. The Setters found themselves trailing once again after a late Adelphi bucket, but with eight seconds left Sher went to work in the post and connected on a layup to tie things at 64-64. The Panthers hoisted up a shot before regulation came to a close, but a miss led to career high 15
th rebound for Sher, and the Setters entered the overtime period.
Adelphi netted the first seven point of the overtime session, but Pace answered with a layup by Sher at the 3:58 mark. Now trailing by nine, Sher again connected in the paint to try and keep the Setters alive. Hackett added another triple in the final minute of play, but the deficit was too much for Pace to overcome as they fell to Adelphi 82-72.
Hackett added four rebounds and four assists to her career-high, game-best 29 points. Sher was dominant on the glass, pulling down 17 rebounds to go along with 16 points. G. Rubin also netted 16 points, adding a trio of rebounds and an assist. The Setters outshot the Panthers in all phases of the game with totals 42.2% (27-64) from the field, 40% (10-25) from distance, and 61.5% (8-13) from the stripe.
Pace returns to the hardwood next week on Tuesday when they travel to Syracuse, N.Y. to square off with the Le Moyne Dolphins.
