The Stony Brook women’s basketball team ended 2014 on a high note, defeating both Western Michigan and Norfolk State at Island Federal Credit Union Arena last week. The Seawolves are now 6-0 at home this season and have a 7-6 overall record entering America East conference play.
The two games were part of the Seawolves Holiday Classic, a two-day tournament hosted by Stony Brook featuring four teams playing two games apiece. SBU finished in first place and was the only team to win both of its matchups.
Stony Brook began the tournament on Sunday with a 59-55 win over Western Michigan. Senior Sabre Proctor was the high scorer in the contest, finishing with 20 points. Sophomore Kori Bayne-Walker also added 17 points for the Seawolves.
SBU trailed by six at halftime, but came alive offensively in the second half, shooting 48.1 percent in the game’s final 20 minutes.
A strong defensive effort in the final minutes allowed Stony Brook to secure the victory, as the Seawolves only allowed two points in the final 2:48 of regulation.
Stony Brook came back the following day with a 52-46 win over Norfolk State. Proctor once again led the way for her team, scoring 21 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
The game went down to the wire, with the Seawolves leading by only three points with just 31 seconds remaining. But, SBU was able to hold off the Spartans thanks to a made free throw by Bayne-Walker with 21 seconds left that stretched the team’s lead to four and a steal by Proctor on the Norfolk State’s ensuing possession.
Proctor has now scored in double figures in all of the 11 games she has played this year. She is also just two points away from becoming the 14th player in the program’s history to score 1,000 points as a Seawolf.
She will have a chance to reach that milestone this Saturday when Stony Brook hosts New Hampshire. The game is the Seawolves first matchup against an America East opponent this season. Tip-off is set for noon.
