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PHILADELPHIA – The Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team looked well on its way to a season-sweep of USciences when the Lightning took a 24-15 lead into intermission, but a 17-2 Devils run gave the hosts a six-point lead they would never relinquish as they sent GBC to its third straight loss by the final of 60-48 at the Bobby Morgan Arena on Thurs. night.
The Lightning shot 45-percent (9-of-20) from the floor and held USciences to 17-percent shooting (6-of-35) in the first half, only to shoot 26-percent in the second half (10-of-39) while the Devils shot a sweltering 63-percent (15-of-24). As a result, USciences outscored GBC 45-24 in the second stanza to erase the nine-point halftime deficit and go on to win by 12. The Lightning were previously 7-1 when leading at halftime this season.
Sophomore forward Irene Hudson came off the bench to lead all Lightning scorers with 15 and also pitched in with seven rebounds. Fellow sophomore forward Devonne Richardson was the only other GBC scorer in double figures as she came up one rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Senior forward Arielle Alford had a team-high 12 rebounds.
More than half (28-of-48) of Goldey-Beacom's points were in the paint as the Lightning shot just 2-of-10 from three-point range and struggled mightily from the perimeter all night against a Devils defense that came in tied for first among the CACC. The Devils defense also caused 21 GBC turnovers and turned them into 18 points. GBC, which had just been defeated by the other defensive league leader, Bloomfield, has now been held under 50 points in two straight games and four times this season.
Alyssa Hamm led all scorers with 18 points on 6-of-12 from the field (3-of-6 from three-point range) for USciences. She erupted for 14 second-half points after a quiet first half.
Caitlin Shaw, who came into the game ranked No. 5 in the nation and No. 1 in the CACC in scoring average at 20.4 points per-game, registered 13 points and a game-high 19 rebounds, nine of which came on the offensive glass. The Devils hauled in 15 offensive boards and turned them into 14 second-chance points on the night.
The Lightning fell to 9-10 overall and 7-5 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference while USciences improved to 15-4 overall and 11-2 in the league. With the win, the Devils avenged a 62-52 loss to the Lightning at the Jones Center back on Jan. 6 and increased its lead over GBC for second place in the CACC South Division standings. The Lightning are now tied for third with Philadelphia U., who earned a 76-52 win at Georgian Court tonight.
GBC will look to bounce back when they host CACC foe Post University at the Jones Center on Sat., Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.
