Rockville Centre, N.Y. – Senior Danielle Hippner threw herself a block party Wednesday evening, totaling 12 denials against the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans to set a new single game record in Molloy women's basketball's victory, 76-64, on Bob Houlihan Court. The Lions improve to 13-13 overall and 6-7 in East Coast Conference play while the Spartans move to 4-20 overall and 2-12 in league play.
 
How it Happened

• After the two squads traded baskets for the first half of the opening stanza, senior Janel Moore and junior Colleen McCullagh converted a three-point field goal and a three-point play to put Molloy in front, 15-9, with 4:02 to go in the first.
• St. Thomas Aquinas responded with a 7-0 run over the next two minutes of action to sneak in front, 16-15.
• Senior Samantha Muller and junior Rosa Rizzitelli netted the final five points of the quarter with a layup and a three-point shot, respectively to close out the opening quarter with Molloy ahead, 20-16.
• Junior Sophia Yearwood nailed a three and McCullagh sunk a layup to begin a 5-0 run for the Lions in the first 35 seconds of the second quarter to extend the lead, 25-16.
• The Spartans answered quickly, putting together a 13-2 rally over the next five minutes while holding the Lions to one field goal to reclaim the lead, 29-27.
• The two teams went back and forth for the remainder of the quarter, sending the contest into halftime with the score knotted at 36.
• Coming out of the locker room neither team allowed the other to breathe, matching shot for shot in the opening 3:25 and keeping the contest tied at 43.
• The game script stayed the same for the entirety of the third quarter, with both teams keeping each other within one possession.
• St. Thomas Aquinas guard Alaila Thomas sunk a pair of foul shots with with under 30 seconds left to give the Spartans a 57-56 lead going into the final quarter.
• Hipper totaled the first four points in the opening 1:16 to push the Lions back in front, 60-57.
• The cardinal and white would try and get its lead to multiple possessions, but the Spartans would not allow it to happen, staying within two, 63-61, with 5:24 remaining in the contest.
• Molloy finished the game on a 13-3 run, holding the Spartans to 1-of-8 from the field while sinking five free throws in the final 1:29 to seal the victory, 76-64.

Top Performances

• McCullagh netted a career-high 19 points on 57 percent shooting while bringing down eight rebounds.
• Muller collected 16 points and secured seven rebounds.
• Hippner totaled a double-double tallying 10 points to go along with 12 blocks and eight rebounds.
• Moore tallied 14 points, seven rebounds, and a game-high six assists.
• Junior Casey Campo tacked on six points and eight rebounds.

Up Next
Molloy will head to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. Saturday, February 22 for a East Coast Conference match up against Mercy beginning at 12:00 p.m.