Bridgeport Holds off Women's Basketball In Final Seconds To Seal 62-58 Win
Box Score
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Dec. 2, 2009) – The University of Bridgeport made critical baskets in the final two minutes of play and held off C.W. Post to claim a 62-58 win in East Coast Conference women's basketball action Wednesday evening at Hubbell Gymnasium.
The win improves Bridgeport to 3-1 overall with a 2-0 mark in conference play. C.W. Post slips to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the conference.
C.W. Post had a 56-55 lead when freshman forward Nicole Marciniak (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored a lay-in with 2:15 on the clock but seconds later a Marciniak was called for a foul and junior guard Meghan Lewis (Spring, Texas) converted two free throws to give Bridgeport the lead (57-56) that would last for the remainder of the game.
The Pioneers threatened the game once more when senior guard Gina Catherall (Bayside, N.Y.) scored a layup at the four-second mark and committed a foul to stop the clock as the Purple Knights held a thin 60-58 lead. But an upset was not in the cards as senior forward Emma Beddome (Melbourne, Australia) converted both free throws to ice the game over for Bridgeport.
Bridgeport led 32-28 at the half after shooting 12 of 26 from field goal range (.418). C.W. Post was 11 for 26 in field goals that included five from three-point range. Catherall led all scorers in the half with 12 points – all from behind the arc.
The Purple Knights held a 35-31 advantage in rebounds off the glass and scored 22 points off 21 Pioneer turnovers. Bridgeport also came out ahead, 34-26, for points in the paint. Bridgeport was 13-for-16 from the charity stripe.
Bridgeport boasted three players with double figures in scoring as senior forward Shannon Malone (Melbourne, Australia) led the team with 14 points. Beddome finished the game with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. Lewis chipped in 13 points.
Catherall led all scorers with 16 points and added three assists and four steals. Marciniak added 13 points and senior forward
Chantee Hallett (Bronx, N.Y.) put up 10 points for the Pioneers. C.W. Post got help from its reserves with 29 points scored from the bench.
C.W. Post is back in action on Saturday, Dec. 5 when it hosts Dowling College for a 1:30 p.m. tip off at the Pratt Recreation Center.