WESTON, Mass. – Regis College took the early lead and playing tough defense for the vast majority of the contest, holding off a Suffolk University rally in the second half to defeat the Rams, 64-49, Wednesday night in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball game at Higgins Court.
Pam Gonzalez (Revere, Mass.) notched her fifth double-double of the season, leading the Pride with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Nikki Bitinaitis (Cromwell, Conn.) collected 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Katryna Veasey (Quincy, Mass.) contributed 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Pride scored nine unanswered points over a five-minute span in the first quarter, capped by a three-pointer from Bitinaitis, to open a 14-4 advantage. Jenni-Rose DiCecco scored Suffolk's final five points of the period to close the Ram deficit to seven at 16-9 heading into the second quarter.
Gonzalez opened the second period with a three-pointer to extend the Regis lead back to 10, but DiCecco made two three-pointers and Gabriella DeComo added a steal and layup to bring the Rams back within two at 23-21 midway through the quarter. The Pride would remain ahead thanks to consecutive baskets by Veasey, but a layup by DiCecco as time ran out in the first half cut the Regis lead to 30-25 at halftime.
Regis started the third quarter with a 13-0 scoring run, featuring three-pointers by Shannon Kelley (Quincy, Mass.), Veasey, and Gonzalez. DeComo snapped the Pride scoring streak with a jumper, and Rachel LaSaracina hit back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute of the period to bring the Rams within 15 at 48-33 heading into the fourth quarter.
A traditional three-point play by Natalie Fraioli and two free throws from LaSaracina in the first minute of the fourth quarter brought the Rams closer, and then two three-pointers by Allie Lopes helped Suffolk cut its deficit to six at 55-49 with 6:16 left in regulation. The Pride defense prevented the Rams from scoring the rest of the way, pulling away with a 9-0 scoring run in the final three-and-a-half minutes of the contest.
DiCecco led the Rams with 15 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while Lopes contributed 11 points and four steals. As a team, Suffolk shot just 33.3 percent (18-of-54) from the field, including 8-of-27 from behind the three-point line, and 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from the free throw line.
Coming off its worst field goal shooting performance of the season, the Pride put together their best shooting effort Wednesday, hitting 49 percent (24-of-49) of their field goal attempts, including a season-high nine made three-pointers in just 18 attempts. Regis also controlled the boards, outrebounding Suffolk 41-26, and it scored 19 points off 15 Ram turnovers.
Suffolk (15-7, 6-2 GNAC) hosts Norwich Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. and Colby-Sawyer Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m. before closing the regular season at Rivier next Saturday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m.
Regis (13-10, 7-2 GNAC), now in a tie for second place in the GNAC standings just a half-game behind Saint Joseph's College, hosts Anna Maria Saturday, Feb. 15, starting at 1 p.m. Before the game, seniors Brianna Goguen (Andover, Mass.), Taylor Iorfino (Monroe, Conn.), and Veasey will be recognized in a Senior Day presentation.