Boxscore
PHILADELPHIA – The Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team overcame an eight-point halftime deficit and earned the program's first-ever win against Philadelphia University, 65-59 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play Tues. night at the Gallagher Center.
The Lightning, which had never defeated PU in 11 all-time meetings, avenged a bitter, 71-69 loss back on Dec. 8 and evened the season series.
With the win, the Lightning (15-10, 11-6 CACC) stay in contention to overtake Philadelphia (14-11, 12-5 CACC) for the coveted No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference playoffs. GBC, which is currently third in the CACC standings, can earn the No. 2 spot and the chance to host a quarterfinal game on Mar. 2, if the Lightning can win both of their remaining games (at Post on Thurs. night and home against Dominican on Sat. afternoon) and the Rams lose both of their remaining games (at Holy Family, and home versus Nyack). Still, GBC remains just one game ahead of fourth-place Wilmington (10-7), who defeated Georgian Court, 62-54 last night.
Similar to the last meeting between these two schools, GBC dominated the second half, outscoring PU 43-29 in the final frame. Rebounding was the key, as the Lightning held a 32-19 advantage on the boards after the break (56-40 for the game). For the game, they collected 29 offensive rebounds and 32 second-chance points. Also, after allowing the Rams 15 points off of 11 first-half turnovers, GBC turned the ball over just seven times in the second half and returned the favor with 15 points off of 11 Philadelphia miscues.
Redshirt-sophomore guard Jacinda Jones led the Lightning with a game-high 25 points, including 7-for-7 shooting from the free-throw line. She also collected eight rebounds, two assists and a game-high five steals.
GBC also saw significant contributions from junior guard Janae Weldon (12 points, four assists), freshman forward Devonne Richardson (10 points, 16 rebounds) and junior forward Arielle Alford (eight points, 11 rebounds). Richardson, who is making a strong case for rookie of the year this season, now has seven double-doubles this season. Eight of her 16 rebounds came on the offensive glass.
Jones opened the scoring for the night almost two-and-a-half minutes in with a three-pointer off an assist from Weldon. That started a 7-0 Lightning run to start the game, helped by a mid-range jumper by Alford and a pair of free-throws later by Jones.
But Philadelphia countered by scoring 23 of the game's next 24 points and took a commanding 23-8 lead after a Taylor Magnus three-pointer at the 7:51 mark. The Lightning were plagued by eight turnovers during that stretch as the Rams employed a trap near the half-court line in the first half that gave GBC all kinds of trouble.
The Lightning stopped the bleeding at the 7:25 mark when they went inside to freshman forward Akilah Sewell (five points, five rebounds) who drew a Ram foul in the paint. Sewell made 1-of-2 at the line, and then Jones connected on a three-point shot to give GBC back some life nearing the seven-minute mark.
PU's Kate Brennan, who led the Rams with 20 points in their victory over GBC earlier this season, nailed a trey in response to Jones' three to put PU back up 14, but the Lightning used an 8-0 run to pull within six. GBC's freshmen forwards were at the forefront of that run as Sewell made two layups, and Richardson and Irene Hudson made one each.
The Rams scored the next four points, but Jones' layup with eight seconds left on the clock made it an eight-point game (30-22) at intermission.
GBC opened the second half on a 6-0 run only to allow PU to up its lead back to eight with a 6-0 run of its own. After a three-pointer by the Rams' Nina Brascetta (nine points, three assists), PU had its largest lead of the second half, 41-32.
Weldon willed the Lightning back into the game, leading GBC with six points during an 8-1 run to close within two (42-40) at the 12:08 mark. But Jessica Romano (19 points, 14 rebounds) and Brennan were up to the task, and quickly upped the PU lead back to six with a basket each.
Five consecutive points by Jones would cut the Rams' lead to one at the 10:27 mark, but again PU stiffened and Romano scored four consecutive points to put her team back up by five. Later, Richardson would score five consecutive Lightning points to bring GBC within one again, but Brennan answered with a three-pointer to put PU up 53-49 with 7:28 left to play in regulation.
The Lightning finally broke through at the 6:17 mark with a three-point field goal by Jones following an Alford layup, and they led (54-53) for the first time since the 7-0 advantage in the first half. A jumper by Weldon completed a 7-0 Lightning run and gave GBC a 56-53 lead at 5:23.
Two free-throws by Romano would cut the lead to one, but that would be the closest the Rams would get the rest of the way. After Jones' layup at 4:07 to go back up three, the Lightning never looked back, going ahead by as many as eight (63-55) with an emphatic and-one layup by Jones at 1:28.
The Lightning, who were 9-for-10 from the line in the second half, shot 5-for-5 down the stretch to secure the victory.
GBC is back in action on Thurs. night as they travel to Waterbury, Conn. for a make-up game against CACC foe Post University. The game has twice been rescheduled due to snow. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.
