SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International College women's basketball team used a monster third quarter to down LIU Post in non-conference action at Butova Gymnasium Sunday afternoon, 82-48.
With the win AIC improves to 13-0 overall and for the second time in three seasons finishes with a perfect 6-0 non-conference mark. With the loss, LIU falls to 1-11 on the season.
Up 39-30 at the half, the Yellow Jackets went to work in the third quarter, opening the frame with a 12-0 run paced by seven senior Kamika Mason (Long Beach, Calif.) points. AIC senior Danielle Dorsett (Waterbury, Conn.) checked into the game and made an immediate impact, hitting back-to-back buckets and a pair of free throws to help AIC dominate the third, 27-5, and take a commanding lead into the final stanza, 66-35.
It was the second game in-a-row the Yellow Jackets held an opponent to five points in a quarter as they held New Haven to that same total in the first frame of Saturday's Northeast-10 Conference victory, 71-56.
AIC senior Chrystal Holland (Stoughton, Mass.) provided a big spark off the bench in the second half, grabbing five boards in just eight minutes of play. Other Yellow Jacket reserves Dominique Boyd (Windsor Locks, Conn.), Tianna Conway (Manchester, Conn.) and junior Tanisha Moyer (Albion, N.Y.) added two points apiece in the final 10 minutes regulation.
The Pioneers held around in the opening half, hitting two late layups to end the first quarter down just four, 18-14. AIC freshman Alyssa Guyon (Ludlow, Mass.) ignited a 9-4 run to end the half on positive note, hitting a trey with 4:35 to go. American International held LIU to just one field goal over that span.
Mason and freshman Jayda Gilmore (Elkridge, Md.) finished with 14 points apiece to lead the team in scoring. Guyon and freshman Dana Watts (Rochester, N.Y.) also finished in double figures with 12 and 10 respectively.
The Yellow Jackets were plus-14 in second chance points and outrebounded LIU, 38-27.
AIC returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 6 when they travel to Assumption College to take on the Northeast Division leading Greyhounds. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. from Worcester, Mass.
