Collins Scores 23 Points As Fifth-Seeded Women's Basketball Drops 76-60 Decision At Top-Seeded Southern Connecticut In Northeast-10 Semi-Finals

March 2, 2007

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2007 Northeast-10 Conference Semi-Finals

Friday, March 2, 2007

Moore Fieldhouse, New Haven, Conn.

FINAL: SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 76, STONEHILL 60

NEW HAVEN, Conn.-- Junior Kate Lynch (Rumford, R.I.) scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead four players in double figures as top-seeded and seventh-ranked Southern Connecticut advanced to defend its Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball tournament title with a 76-60 victory over fifth-seeded Stonehill in semi-final round action of the 2007 league championships Friday evening at the Moore Fieldhouse.

The host Owls, who improve to 27-2 overall on the season, will meet sixth-seeded Pace for the Northeast-10 crown on Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Moore Fieldhouse, as the Setters posted a 78-72 overtime victory over second-seeded Saint Rose in Friday first semi-final match-up.

Southern Connecticut raced out to an early seven-point lead, as the Owls connected for eight three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes of action in building a 39-22 advantage at the break. The hosts grabbed a pair of 20-point advantages early after intermission, the last coming at 44-24 with 18:23 remaining on a jumper by junior LaShauna Jones (Middletown, Conn.), but the visiting Skyhawks, who fall to 22-8 overall on the season, sliced their deficit down to nine with a 16-5 run in less than seven minutes to close to within 49-40 on a lay-in by sophomore Bethany Tighe (North Easton, Mass.) with 11:25 to play. Southern Connecticut responded with six quick points to take a 15-point cushion, but Stonehill answered back with an 8-2 run of its own to close to within nine once again at 57-48 on a lay-in by senior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) with 7:24 remaining. The Owls then went on a decisive 14-2 run over the next 4:29 of action, extending its lead to 21 points at 71-50 on a pair of Lynch free throws with 2:55 to play, as the Skyhawks got no closer than the final score.

Jones added 16 points in the win for Southern Connecticut, which alsor eceived 13 points and six boards from senior Babette Noah (Yaounde, Cameroon) as well as 10 points and six boards from junior Shamika Jackson (Manchester, Conn.). Junior Michelle Martinik (Monroe, Conn.) added nine points and six assists for the Owls, who shot 47 percent from the field and connected for 12 three-pointers to advance to the final.

Collins led all scorers with 23 points in the setback for Stonehill, which also received nine points from Tighe as well as seven points each from senior Caitlin Kennedy (Baldwin, N.Y.) and freshman Megan Methven (Corning, N.Y.). Senior Tiffany Huggins (Stoughton, Mass.) grabbed six rebounds for the Skyhawks, who shot 43 percent from the field overall but just 22 percent from behind the arc for the contest.

Stonehill will await word of a possible berth in the NCAA Division II Championships, as the 64-team field will be announced on Sunday evening. The Skyhawks are ranked seventh in this week's NCAA Northeast Regional Poll.