Collins, Morast Combine For 23 Points As 25th-Ranked Women's Basketball's Season Comes To End With 70-46 Setback To American International In NCAA Northeast Regional Semi-Finals

March 11, 2006

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2006 NCAA Northeast Regional Semi-Finals

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Moore Fieldhouse, New Haven, Conn.

FINAL:AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 70, STONEHILL 46

NEW HAVEN, Conn.-- Senior Sharmion Selman (Burlington, Vt.) scored 20 points to lead three players in double figures as third-seeded American International advanced to the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional championship game for the first time in five seasons with a 70-46 victory over second-seeded and 25th-ranked Stonehill Saturday evening at Southern Connecticut's Moore Fieldhouse.

The Yellow Jackets, now 23-7 on the season, advance to take on the winner of Saturday's other semi-final round match-up between top-seeded Southern Connecticut and fifth-seeded Holy Family.

American International opened up a six-point first half edge before the Skyhawks, who end the year at 24-7 overall in posting their highest win total in eight years, clawed back to within three (31-28) at the break, but the Yellow Jackets scored 20 of the first 24 points after intermission to open up a 19-point lead (51-32) with just over 13 minutes to play in the contest and maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way.

Senior Tiffany Wooten (Randolph, Mass.) added a double-double effort of 12 points and 13 rebounds in the win for American International, which also received 12 points from junior Krystal Pressley (New Haven, Conn.). The Yellow Jackets shot 50 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes of play and held a commanding 50-35 rebounding advantage for the contest to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2001.

Junior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) netted 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in the setback for Stonehill, which also received 10 points from junior Kim Morast (Bridgewater, Mass.). Sophomore Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine) chipped in with eight points and six boards for the Skyhawks, who shot just 26 percent from the field and connected on 6-of-27 attempts from three-point range in dropping the rubber game of three with American International this season.

"It's a tough way to end the season, but I think that when we sit back and look at what we accomplished, we can gain a great sense of pride," Stonehill Head Coach Trisha Brown said following the contest. "We came together as a team early on and did a lot of the little things that teams need to do to be successful, and I'm very proud of everyone on this team for a great collective effort and season."

Stonehill advanced to the Round of 32 for the second time in three seasons and posted its highest win total in Brown's five-year tenure, finishing as runner-up to Southern Connecticut in the Northeast-10 Conference standings.