17-point comeback not enough as Women’s Basketball falls at UMBC

January 25, 2017

Senior guard Christa Scognamiglio attempts to score in a game against Binghamton on Jan. 22. Scognamiglio... ARACELY JIMENEZ/THE STATESMAN — Senior guard Christa Scognamiglio attempts to score in a game against Binghamton on Jan. 22. Although Scognamiglio led the Seawolves in scoring, they fell to the Retrievers 67-61. *ARACELY JIMENEZ/THE STATESMAN*

Heading into halftime, the Stony Brook women’s basketball team ran into the locker room disappointed. Having only scored seven points in the second quarter and facing a 13-point deficit to UMBC, the team had its work cut out.

The Seawolves offense caught fire in the second half — scoring 24 points in the third quarter, including a 15-0 run — to tie the game, 55-55, with 3:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. The comeback was nearly complete.

But the Retrievers made late shots and were able to escape, beating the Seawolves, 67-61, at the Retrievers Activities Court in Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon.

Senior forward Pandora Wilson of UMBC led all scorers on the floor with 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Senior guard Christa Scognamiglio led Stony Brook with a double-double, putting up 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The final three minutes of the fourth quarter were the closest Stony Brook came to winning the game. Senior forward Elizabeth Manner made a layup with 3:36 left in the game to tie the score at 55-55, after UMBC had led the majority of the game by as many as 17 points.

After that, the Seawolves were held to just six points, allowing 12.

Although they were only down 16-13 after they first quarter, the lid on the basket seemed to be closed for the Seawolves throughout the second quarter. The team went on a nine-minute scoring drought, while the Retrievers went on a 19-0 run that pushed the lead to 30-13. During the run, senior guard Taylor McCarley and freshman forward Lucrezia Costa scored 12 of the 19 points.

However, the third quarter saw a big run from the Seawolves that helped them get back in the game. Down 42-19 with 5:53 left in the third quarter, the team went on a 15-point run, including seven points by Scognamiglio. The offensive burst brought the Seawolves back into the game, tying the score 44-44.

The Seawolves shot the ball poorly, only shooting 34 percent from the field. On the other side, the Retrievers shot 43 percent, scoring 40 points in the paint.

Stony Brook’s next matchup is on the road against the Vermont Catamounts at Patrick Gymnasium on Saturday, January 28 at 2 p.m..