Boxscore
PIKE CREEK, Del. – The Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team broke through for a 72-66 win over the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference's top North Division team, Bloomfield College on the strength of 18 second-half points by redshirt-sophomore guard, Jacinda Jones.
The Lightning scored nine of the game's last 11 points in the final 1:42 of action, connecting on 7-of-8 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the victory and once again improve to .500 on the season overall (9-9) and in conference play (5-5).
Jones, who finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, did most of her damage in the second half. She scored 18 in the final frame on 5-for-7 from the field (1-for-3 from three-point range) and 7-for-8 from the foul line.
Freshman forward Devonne Richardson carried the Lightning early on, scoring the team's first seven points and contributing six rebounds (four on the offensive glass), two assists, a block and a steal in just the first half. She finished the game posting her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds to go with five assists. Fellow freshman forward Irene Hudson was the third Lightning player scoring in double-figures with 15.
The Lady Deacons (7-9, 7-2 CACC) looked as though they were going to run away with their eighth win of the season in the early-going, jumping out to a 7-0 lead and holding GBC scoreless for the first six minutes of play. Richardson's two free-throws at the 14-minute mark broke the silence. Then, on the ensuing possession, she blocked a Lady Deacon layup attempt, scooped up the rebound and took the ball coast-to-coast for a layup and the foul, which she cashed in on with a free-throw to complete a 5-0 Lightning run all by herself.
Consecutive three-point field goals by the Lady Deacons pushed the BC lead back to eight, and later, Dre'Shonda Williams' jumper at 11:35 extended the lead to 10, 17-7. But back came the Lightning. Down 19-11, junior guard Janae Weldon (eight points, three assists) hit a three-pointer to spark a 6-0 GBC run to cut the lead to two, 19-17.
The two teams traded baskets for the next several minutes before two free-throws by Emily Horrocks (six points, four rebounds) and a layup by Williams put the Lady Deacons up six (27-21) with 2:17 left in the half.
GBC quickly responded, going inside to freshman forward Akilah Sewell (six points, five rebounds) and then Hudson for consecutive Lightning layups to cut BC's lead to two. Then, after a miserable 1-for-8 start from the field in which she only converted a layup, Jones came through with a big three-point field goal with 45 seconds left in the half to give the Lightning their first lead of the game, 28-27. However, a layup by Bloomfield's Shakiyrah Bishop as time expired gave the Lady Deacons back the lead at 29-28.
The two CACC rivals traded baskets to start the second half, but a layup by Jones at the 18:10 mark gave GBC a 32-31 lead which the Lightning would not relinquish until the two-minute mark. GBC would extend that lead to five (38-33) and later by as many as eight (44-36) with 11:28 left to play in regulation.
Regina Washington (11 points, three rebounds) and Tiffany McDaniel (nine points, eight rebounds) led the Lady Deacons on a 12-5 run to cut the Lightning lead to one, 49-48 with 7:24 left to play, and almost a minute later, a layup by Williams tied the score at 51 apiece.
Jones answered for GBC with her second three-point field goal of the night and then followed it up with a layup to push the Lightning's lead back to five. But back again came BC, with Williams again evening the score at 61 with 3:32 left on the clock.
About a minute after a Richardson layup at 3:21, BC's Malik Milani (13 points) connected on her third three-point field goal to give the Lady Deacons their first lead of the day (64-63) since the beginning of the second half.
But the Lightning did not panic, and after some pretty passing, Richardson found Hudson underneath the hoop for a layup with 1:42 that regained the lead for GBC, 65-64. After a missed jumper by BC's Washington, the Lady Deacons were forced to foul the rest of the way to stop the clock. The Lightning converted 7-of-8 from the foul line down the stretch, including two by Hudson and five by Jones to seal the win.
For the game, Bloomfield made more field goals (26-23) but made just 8-of-16 (50 percent) from the free-throw line while GBC made 22-of-31 (71 percent).
The Lightning, winners of seven of their last nine games, will look to avenge an early-season 60-54 loss on Dec. 12 to CACC foe Chestnut Hill when they host the Lady Griffins at the Jones Center on Feb. 2 at 6 p.m.
