Women's Hoops Advances to NE-10 Quarterfinals with 58-53 Win over Saint Michaels
BRYANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
February 25, 2007
Women's Hoops Defeats Saint Michaels 58-53 in Overtime
Bulldogs Advance to Play Saint Rose in NE-10 Quarterfinals Tuesday
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant women's basketball team used solid defense and grabbed key offensive rebounds to narrowly edge Saint Michaels in overtime 58-53 in the first round of the Northeast-10 Tournament Sunday afternoon at the Chace Center.
With the victory, Bryant, ranked seventh in the conference tournament, will head to second-ranked Saint Rose Tuesday for a quarterfinal matchup at 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs finished overtime on a 11-3 run, led by the offensive rebounding of Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, CT) and Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) and outstanding defense from Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.).
Leading 51-50 with 1:43 to play, Schermerhorn came up with her sixth steal of the game, a career high, and, after being fouled, converted one of two free throws. O'Keefe grabbed the offensive board off the second free-throw and buried the lay-in to give her team a 54-50 lead with 1:11 to go.
After Schermerhorn was fouled and went to the line with :35 to play, she converted the first but missed the second, but again O'Keefe was there to get the rebound, and got it to Erin Murphy (Albany, Mass.) who was fouled and nailed both shots to put the game away.
Bryant went into the locker room at the half leading 24-23 behind six from O'Keefe and seven from Schermerhorn. The first half was marred by turnovers as the Bulldogs committed 13 turnovers and shot just 9-of-26 from the field.
They came out flying in the second half behind the post presence of Rubenoff, who scored eight straight points, giving Bryant a 34-27 lead with 15:15 to go.
The Bulldogs clung to a narrow lead as time ticked down, but the Purple Knights finally tied it when Michelle Otey beat Murphy down low with 12.5 seconds to play. Bryant had the last shot, but Joanna Skiba's (Providence, RI) shot was way off the mark, sending the teams to overtime tied at 47.
Skiba did not make a field goal for the first time since her freshman season and finished with three points, all on clutch free throws in overtime.
Rubenoff and O'Keefe tallied 14 each, with O'Keefe posting another double-double (11 rebounds). Murphy had six points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Schermerhorn (nine points, eight boards, six steals, 37 minutes) finished with career-highs in rebounds, steals, and minutes played.
The Bulldogs (19-9, 14-8 NE-10) will head to Saint Rose Tuesday (7 p.m.) in a game they must win to solidify their NCAA tournament hopes. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs upset the Golden Knights 83-76 at the Chace Center.