The 96 points tallied by the Stony Brook (SB) women’s basketball team this past Saturday against Vermont not only gave the team it’s twelfth win out of its last thirteen games, but it also set a new team record for the largest point total in their Division I history. This is the first time the team has cracked the 90 point mark, since the 2002-2003 season when they beat New Hampshire 90-72.
The Seawolves outscored the Catamounts 19-10 in the overtime period and were thus able to pull out the 96-87 victory. The win improved SB’s record to 16-10 overall and 12-2 in the conference, while the loss, Vermont’s third in a row, dropped the team’s record to 16-11 overall and 6-8 in conference play.
‘These type of games are what it’s all about this time of year,’ said head coach Maura McHugh. ‘Jess and Mykeema have always stepped up when a challenge presented itself and tonight was no different.’
Throughout the early stages of the first half this contest it seemed like the Catamounts were going to run away with the lead and snap the Seawolves’ four game winning streak. Vermont began the game on fire as they nailed 12 of their first 18 shots from the field. This sharp shooting by the opposition put the Seawolves in a 19 point hole, 30-11, with a little over 10 minutes remaining before halftime. As the first half continued, the Seawolves kept their composure and were able to slowly claw their way back into the game.
Leah Getz hit a jumper for SB with under a minute to play in the half which cut the Catamount’s lead to 48-45. After a slow start to the game, the Seawolves went into the break only down 50-45. Vermont had one of it’s best shooting halves, percentage wise, of the season in the first half as the team shot 64 percent from the field.
Jessica Smith scored 19 points in the first half for the Seawolves, which helped counter the good shooting from the visiting squad. The Catamounts stretched their lead to six after Brittney Cross sank a three pointer. However,’ SB managed to tie the game after a Getz three point play, and then proceeded to take the lead a few plays later off a fast break lay-up by Mykeema Ford.
The momentum and the lead shifted from side to side over the next eight minutes until the Catamounts went on a 6-1 run giving themselves a 74-69 lead with about three minutes remaining in the game. Dana Ferraro hit a lay-up for SB with 23 seconds left in regulation. The Seawolves played stout defense and didn’t allow Vermont to get a clean look at the basket, which resulted in an extra five minutes of play.
In the overtime period, Smith and Vermont’s Courtnay Pilypaitis swapped baskets until Smith scored on a three point play, giving SB an 86-83 lead with 2:19 showing on the clock. The Seawolves shot 7-10 from the field and 5-7 from the foul line in overtime which gave them the nine point victory.
Smith tied her career-high with 30 points, which she previously set against Vermont in 2005, and was named America East co-player of the game. She went 14-24 from the field and grabbed nine rebounds. Ford added 22 points and eight assists, Ferraro had 15 points and eight rebounds and Cheri Davis recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Catamounts had five players score in double figures, and were lead by Cihal’s 20 points and 12 rebounds. The Seawolves’ will be looking for their six straight win when they travel to Albany this Wednesday.
