Raymond leads Skyhawks into semifinals with fourth double-double
Raymond scored 17 of her game-high 26 points in the second half as the Skyhawks closed out the win (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard) |
EASTON, Mass. (March 1, 2020) – Northeast Division top-seeded Stonehill College, receiving votes in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II and D2SIDA Top 25 Media polls, closed out a 61-52 victory over Northeast No. 5 seed Assumption College in quarterfinal round action of the 2020 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.
Stonehill (21-5, 16-3 NE10) advances to the NE10 semifinal round, where it will face the defending NE10 Champions and Southwest Division No. 2 Le Moyne College (19-8, 14-5 NE10) at Merkert Gym on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Dolphins advanced with a last-minute 54-51 triumph over Northeast No. 3 Bentley University (19-9, 14-5 NE10) in today's quarterfinal in Syracuse, New York. Assumption sees its season close at 14-15 overall, including 7-12 in the NE10, reaching the quarterfinals after dropping Southwest No. 4 Pace University, 59-45, in Friday's first round.
Leaders
Stonehill
Kayla Raymond Sophomore, Forward: Fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 26 points (10-for-21, 3-for-9 threes), including 17 in the second half, 10 rebounds and two steals.
Kelsey Shaw Senior, Guard: Season-high matching 11 points (7-for-9 FTs), four rebounds, three assists, a steal and blocked shot.
Madison Seymour Junior, Guard: 7 points, four rebounds.
Assumption
Temi Falayi Junior, Forward: 16 points (7-for-12), nine rebounds and a steal.
Emme Poulin Sophomore, Guard: 11 points (3-for-10 threes), two rebounds, two steals.
Monica Spain Freshman, Forward: 9 points (3-for-6), two rebounds, two assists, a steal and blocked shot.
How it Happened
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Shaw matched her season-high with 11 points, including five during a key stretch at the end of the first half. (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard) - After trading baskets early in the third, Stonehill netted six straight, including the first four by Raymond, to grab a five-point lead (33-28) four minutes into the frame.
- Assumption pulled within one (33-32) after a three-pointer from senior Katherine Golden a minute later, but Stonehill emerged from a timeout and scored ten-straight to take an 11-point lead (43-32) after a three-pointer by senior Grace Carter with 30-seconds to play in the quarter. Four different Skyhawks scored during that stretch.
- Stonehill carried an eight-point lead (43-35) into the fourth and Assumption trimmed the lead to five (47-42) with a Poulin three with 6:09 to go.
- Stonehill's lead was still five (52-47) after a layup from Falayi with 2:28 remaining when Raymond buried a three-pointer and the Skyhawks drained all six free-throws in the final 23-seconds to offset a three-pointer by senior Brianna Capacchione and seal the win.
- Stonehill staked out a nine-point lead (16-7) after a Seymour three with three minutes remaining in the first quarter before settling for a seven-point edge (16-9).
- Assumption mirrored the first quarter score in the second to force the halftime deadlock (25-25). The Greyhounds pulled even (16-16) on a layup by Falayi three minutes into the second quarter and then emerged from the second quarter media timeout to grab a five-point cushion (25-20) after Golden split two free-throws with three minutes to go in the quarter.
- Stonehill finished the half strong, with Shaw scoring the final five of the half to go into the intermission even (25-25).
Noteworthy
- Stonehill are winners of a season-high ten straight and 14 of 15 since the New Year.
- Stonehill is the only program to appear in all 39 NE10 Women's Basketball Tournaments since the Conference started sponsoring the championship in 1982, reaching the semifinal round for the 25th time.
- Raymond's fourth double-double of the year is her second-straight and the sixth of her career and Stonehill is 11-1 this season when she leads in rebounds (21-4 career).
- Shaw finishes with the fourth double-figure scoring output of the season (18th career).
Up Next
Stonehill (21-5, 16-3 NE10) hosts Le Moyne College (19-8, 14-5 NE10) for an NE10 semifinal on Thursday at 7 p.m.
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