WESTON, Mass. - For the third time in as many years, the Regis College women's basketball team has earned the right to host the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Tournament after posting its third consecutive perfect NECC regular season (18-0, 21-4 overall). The Pride will welcome #4 Becker College (11-15, 10-8 NECC) for the first of two NECC Semifinals, with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.
Regis bested the Hawks in each of their two meetings earlier this season, including a 73-52 win on Dec. 5 and a 70-48 win on Jan. 18.
In the first meeting of the season, Becker looked determined to knock off the defending NECC Champion Pride, as they took a 41-40 lead over Regis with 17:27 to play in regulation after Haley Ooms (Valatie, N.Y.) hit a three-pointer to cap an 11-2 run by the Hawks.
Regis, led by a 25 point, nine rebound effort from freshman Amanda Hawkesworth (Abington, Mass.), would go on a 33-11 run down the stretch, however, to grab the win. Junior guard Emilee Marro (Bedford, N.H.) added a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds) to help lead Regis to the victory, while Becker was paced by Brooke Martel (Griswold, Conn.) and Tatiana Mojica (Worcester, Mass.), who combied for 31 points in the loss.
The second meeting of the season looked like it was set to be another close matchup, as Ooms hit a big trey to cut the Pride lead to three, 18-15 in the first half. But once again, Regis responded with a big run, as they would score the next 25 points of the game to take a commanding 43-15 just a few minutes into the second half.
Despite eight second-half points apiece by Ooms and Jacqueline Chila (Monroe, Conn.), Regis used its cushion to hold on for the 70-48 win. Marro and Janaya Bradley (New Haven, Conn.) combined for 37 points in the win.
Becker, who is coming off of an impressive 79-66 win over Daniel Webster in a NECC First Round game, is led by Mojica and Ooms, who have averaged 15.0 and 14.5 points per game this season, respectively. Ooms adds a team-best 8.2 rebounds per game and conference-leading 191 total assists on the year.
Regis, on the other hand, will look to Marro (15.7 ppg), Hawkesworth (12.1 ppg), Bradley (12.1 ppg), and Claire Ramonas (11.1 ppg), who make up the only team in the league with four players averaging points in the double digits. The foursome also top the Pride in rebounds per game, with Hawkesworth leading the charge with an average of 8.0 boards per contest.
The winner of the Regis and Becker matchup will advance to the NECC Championship at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The victor will face the winner of the other Semifinal game between #2 Elms and #3 Mitchell, which will tip-off at 8 p.m. on Friday at Regis.