Boxscore
PHILADELPHIA – Injuries have plagued redshirt-junior guard Jacinda Jones the last four games, but the Lightning's leading scorer battled through it on Wed. night at the Sorgenti Arena to score a game-high 26 points and lift the Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team to victory over Chestnut Hill, 72-62.
Jones was 10-of-16 from the field (3-of-6 3FG, 3-of-3 FT) and also grabbed eight rebounds - six on the offensive glass. She scored nine of her 26 points during an 11-4 Lightning run that catapulted GBC from a 49-46 lead to a commanding 60-50 advantage with 6:41 left to play.
Jones' supporting cast was led by senior guard Janae Weldon (14 points, 4-of-4 FT) and sophomore reserve forward Irene Hudson (14 points, 10-of-13 FT). Also, starting sophomore forward Devonne Richardson had game-highs of 12 rebounds and eight assists.
With the win, head coach Jen Carleton's Goldey-Beacom squad completed the season sweep of the Griffins and improved to 11-10 overall (9-5 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference). Chestnut Hill fell to 6-16 overall and 4-11 in the league.
Looking to avenge a 63-49 loss to GBC at the Jones Center back on Dec. 11, 2010, the Griffins soared in the early-going and claimed a 9-2 lead.
The Lightning struck back with a 21-5 surge, kick-started by a three-pointer by Weldon and capped with two made free-throws by Hudson, and they led 23-14 with 6:38 left in the first half. But CHC sliced into that lead by scoring 15 of the final 22 points, including a 5-0 run in the final 3:23, and the Lightning advantage was just one (30-29) at the break.
Much like in the opening minutes of the first half, the Griffins got off to a fast start out of the intermission and took a 38-34 edge on a jumper by Cecelia Herald (18 points, six rebounds, 7-of-8 FG, 4-of-5 FT). But the Lightning did not let the Griffins out of their sight, responding with an 8-0 run to take back a 42-38 lead with 14:32 left.
The Lightning lead hovered anywhere between one and five points for the next five minutes or so, but when an Asha Jones layup cut it to 49-46, Jones led the Lightning on one final game-solidifying push.
First she scored two consecutive layups at 9:09 and 8:56, both off Richardson assists, then canned both free-throws during a trip to the line at 8:26. Weldon knocked down a jumper at the 7:41 mark (also off an assist by Richardson) and then Jones put the finishing touches on an 11-4 run with a three-pointer to put the Lightning in front, 60-50 with 6:41 left to play.
The Griffins threatened one more time after a quick five points brought them within 65-59 with two minutes left, but the Lightning made 7-of-8 free-throws in the final 57 seconds to hold on for the win.
GBC feasted at the free-throw line (27-of-32 compared to CHC's 8-of-13) and held a disparaging 43-35 rebounding advantage for the night. The Lightning also took much better care of the ball (13/12 assist-to-turnover ratio compared to 17/19) to compensate for the Griffins' better shooting (46-percent FG to 32-percent).
Chestnut Hill is now mathematically eliminated from the playoffs as they stand five games behind fourth-place Philadelphia University with only four games left to play. GBC held firm at third place in the division.
Up next for the Lightning is the second of three straight road games at CACC North Division foe, Nyack College. Tip-off is at 1 p.m.
