Box Score BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Nov. 15, 2014) - On Saturday, the Molloy College women's basketball team had its first chance to be rewarded for all the hard work it put into its preseason practice sessions. The Lions did receive that reward in the form of a 79-72 season-opening victory over Southern Connecticut State University in the University of Bridgeport Women's Basketball Classic. With the win, the Lions now stand at 1-0 overall, while the Owls dropped to 0-1 on the year.
The Lions earned their first lead of the 2014-15 campaign after five minutes elapsed in the opening half. Junior
Kimani Jackson (Dix Hills, N.Y.) drove in a lay-up to put Molloy ahead, 6-5. The Lions held the lead for the rest of the first period, and led by more than double-digit points from the 7:17 mark through when the horn sounded for the intermission. At halftime, the Lions led Southern Connecticut State by the score of 40-24. Molloy posted a 13-6 run to close out the final five minutes of the first half.
Molloy shot a sizzling 45% (18-40) from the floor in the first half, and while their clip in the second half was slightly down from that (39%, 14-36), the Lions continued to hold the lead against the Owls, although at one point it shrunk considerably. Junior
Alexia O'Connor (Centerport, N.Y.) nailed a three-pointer nine seconds into the second stanza to further increase the Lions' advantage. However, with the Owls trailing 62-43 at the 10:59 mark, Southern Connecticut proceeded to roll off a 15-0 run. At the conclusion of that spurt, the Owls had cut their deficit to 62-58 with 5:18 left in regulation. The two clubs traded baskets back and fourth for the next three minutes as the Owls continued to chip away. However, in those final two minutes, Southern Connecticut never drew closer than four points, as Molloy closed out the game on a 5-2 run.
For Molloy, Jackson tied for the game-high with 22 points, while O'Connor scored 16 -- nine of which came off a trio of three-pointers. Junior
Ally Leftridge (Melville, N.Y.) posted 13 points, while sophomore
Aliyah McDonald (Hempstead, N.Y.) brought down a team-best 11 rebounds.
OLD STOMPING GROUNDS: This was the first time in her coaching career that Molloy Head Coach
Kate Lynch played against her alma mater, Southern Connecticut State University...With the Owls, Lynch was a two-time First-Team All-American, and All-Northeast 10 Conference choice...She presently holds four all-time school records, including the career scoring mark...Lynch also assisted SCSU in capturing the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2007.
VERSUS THE OWLS: The Lions improved their all-time ledger against Southern Connecticut State to 4-9...The last time these two squads met was on December 30, 2010 when the Owls defeated the Lions, 58-50.
NEXT TIME OUT: Head Coach
Kate Lynch and the Lions return to action tomorrow to play in Day 2 of the University of Bridgeport Women's Basketball Classic. The Lions take on Le Moyne College at 2 p.m.
SCOUTING LE MOYNE: The Dolphins finished 15-13 overall and 10-10 in the Northeast-10 Conference last season. Le Moyne are projected to finish third in the NE-10 Southwest division with senior guard Alex Marple (14.6 PPG, 2.0 APG) leading the way. The Lions trail the all-time series with the Dolphins, 1-2. In today's season opener for Le Moyne, the Dolphins defeated the University of Bridgeport, 68-63.
TUNE IN: The Lions' contest versus Le Moyne tomorrow will have LiveStats and an audio/video broadcast
available at this link.
