WESTON, Mass. - In a tight battle that featured nine lead changes and no double-digit leads, Regis College rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Albertus Magnus College, 72-68, Saturday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball game at Higgins Court.
Madi Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.) scored 24 of her team-high 26 points in the second half as she shot 10-for-19 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Courtney Doherty (Willimantic, Conn.) notched her second double-double of the season with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds along with five steals, and Jordyn Striggles (Raynham, Mass.) contributed 10 points and four assists.
Down 35-30 at halftime, Regis scored the first eight points of the third quarter, the last six by Zancan, to pull ahead by three points. The Pride increased their advantage to six points at 49-43 on a three-pointer by Doherty, but the Falcons responded with eight unanswered points, including a three-pointer by Diamond White to allow Albertus Magnus to retake the lead at 51-50 heading into the fourth quarter.
Caitlyn Scott made a layup and a three-pointer to extend the Falcon lead to 56-50, but Zancan scored seven straight points over the next two minutes, and then Striggles answered a made jumper by Amanda Zdru with her own made basket to put the Pride back on top, 59-58. Serenity Ayala (North Brookfield, Mass.) made a layup and Zancan hit two more baskets to give Regis a 67-62 lead heading into the final minute of regulation.
Consecutive three-pointers by Zdru and Sarah Evangelista gave Albertus Magnus a 68-67 lead with 29 seconds remaining, but Zancan converted a traditional three-point play on Regis' next possession to give the Pride the lead for good. Doherty earned a steal, and then Erika Marinelli (Point Pleasant, N.J.) hit two free throws to close out the contest in Regis' favor.
Scott led all players with 29 points, while Zdru and Natasha Rivera scored nine points apiece and White contributed seven points, five rebounds, and six assists. As a team, the Falcons shot 41.3 percent (26-for-63) from the field, but just 5-for-22 from behind the three-point line and 55 percent (11-for-20) from the free throw line.
The Pride shot 39.4 percent (26-for-66) from the field and 76.2 percent (16-for-21) from the free throw line, plus they won the rebounding battle, 47-37.
Regis College (9-14, 7-5 GNAC) is scheduled to travel to Colby-Sawyer College to face the Chargers Tuesday, Feb. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. Albertus Magnus (18-6, 10-3 GNAC) is off until the final day of the regular season when it hosts New England College next Saturday, Feb. 17, beginning at 1 p.m.