Carter scored 15 of her career-best 23 points in the second half to lead the Skyhawks rally. (PHOTO BY SportsPix) |
Carter connects for career-high 23 points as Skyhawks rally in second half
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 9, 2019) – Stonehill College, receiving votes in both the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II and D2SIDA Top 25 Media polls, erased an 11-point halftime deficit and posted a 62-56 victory over American International College in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Henry Butova Gymnasium tonight.
Junior guard Grace Carter scored 15 of her career-high 23 points in the second half to lead the Stonehill comeback effort. She finished shooting 8-of-19 from the floor, including 5-for-11 from three-point distance, while adding four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Freshman Kayla Raymond was the only other Skyhawk in double-figures with 17 points, including 12 in the second half, and six rebounds.
Senior Maty Diabate contributed nine points and five rebounds for Stonehill, while sophomore Jennifer Worden chipped in eight points and three boards.
Senior Alyssa Guyon paced American International with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three-point range, while adding eight rebounds. Classmate Dana Watts posted a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds, including the 1,000th of her career, with five blocked shots and two assists. Junior Rashana Siders rounded out the Yellow Jackets in double-figures with 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals, while senior Dominique Boyd was the only other AIC player to score on the night with nine points and seven boards.
Raymond added 17 points, including 12 in the second half comeback. (PHOTO BY Barry Gutradt) |
Stonehill trailed by as much as 14 points early in the third quarter after American International held an 11-point (30-19) halftime lead, when the Skyhawks made just 8-of-37 (21.6-percent) shots in the first 20 minutes, including 3-for-14 (21.4%) from three-point distance. Guyon gave AIC the 14-point cushion (33-19) with a three-pointer off her own steal 30-seconds into the third quarter.
Stonehill rallied to knot the score (44-44) heading into the final frame as it made 10-of-13 shots (76.9%) in the third quarter, including 5-for-7 from beyond the arc, to outscore AIC 25-14 in the frame. The Yellow Jacket lead was still ten (39-29) after another Guyon triple with 5:38 to play in the third, but the Skyhawks reeled off a 10-2 run to close within a possession (41-39) after a Raymond layup with 2:20 left in the quarter. She had four points during the run, while Worden and Carter each connected from deep. Boyd answered initially for the hosts, but junior Kelsey Shaw scored a layup and Carter pushed the Skyhawks in front with a three (44-43) with a minute remaining, before Siders split two free-throws to send the game into the fourth deadlocked.
Stonehill grabbed a five-point lead (51-46) after a Carter jumper 3:30 into the fourth, but Boyd and Siders pulled AIC back within a point (51-50) at the midway point of the quarter. Carter answered with a three-pointer and Raymond followed with a layup to extend the Skyhawks lead to six (56-50) with 1:26 remaining. Watts followed with four straight points to draw the Yellow Jackets back within a possession (56-54) with 23-seconds to go, but Stonehill converted all six free throws from there to seal its fourth win over its last five.
Stonehill (11-3, 6-2 NE10) is off for another week, before returning to Merkert Gym next Wednesday, January 16, to host The College of Saint Rose at 5:30 p.m. AIC (8-7, 3-4 NE10) hosts Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.