SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts In the Northeast-10 Conference quarterfinal matchup between the American International College women's basketball team and Saint Anselm College, sophomore Dana Watts surpassed 1,000 total points in her career, but St. Anselm found its way to a 76-53 victory over AIC on Sunday, February 26 at Butova Gym.
Watts reached the milestone with 24.7 seconds left in the first half, when she sunk a free throw for exactly her 1,000th point in just 61 games. Watts finished with a double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Imani Stepney had a strong showing for the Yellow Jackets as well, finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds.
It was a battle between the number 12s of each team- Watts and the Hawks' number 12, Candace Andrews. Andrews finished with 26 points and seven assists. Kaila Duarte was one of the main benefactors from Andrews' incredible passing, as she finished with a double-double, 13 points and 12 rebounds.
AIC kept it close for the first five minutes of the game, with the score at 13-12 and Watts responsible for half the team's points. But then Andrews took control of the tempo of the game for Saint Anselm. She drove and found Emma Daly for a three that made it 16-12, and kickstarted a 10-3 run for the Hawks to end the quarter. Erin Waters had two assists and a steal during that run, and then she was subbed out by Clairee Putnam, who provided a vital bench spark to keep the run going as she hit a huge three with 14 seconds left in the first.
The Saint A's storm continued in the second quarter and again Andrews was at the heart of it and Duarte was her sidekick as they started the second half with a 7-0 run and then never looked back. During that run, Andrews picked up another two assists and Duarte finished with five points, two rebounds and two steals during the run.
After AIC weathered the storm for a brief stretch and kept the deficit at 13, Saint A's went on another run with the score at 34-21 with four-and-a-half minutes to go. Over the next three minutes the Hawks went on a 10-0 run led by Andrews and Putnam. With the score at 44-21 Saint A's, had achieved its largest lead of the night and maintained control going into the break, leading 44-26.
Saint A's continued to maintain the lead through the third quarter as the deficit never got below 18 and they won the quarter 15-14. Watts did everything she could to try and get the Yellow Jackets back in the game, scoring more than half of her team's points in the quarter with eight.
In the fourth, Andrews' abilities began to shine as AIC threw the kitchen sink at the Hawks to try and get back in the game, but it was never able to make a dent, as Andrews kept her team calm and collected under pressure. Andrews finished the quarter with eight points and one assist as Saint A's capped off its road victory over the Yellow Jackets.
Saint A's advances to the NE10 semifinals, where it will face Bentley, who beat Merrimack in its quarterfinal matchup. AIC has been eliminated from the NE10 Tournament, and will await its postseason fate, which falls solely in the hands of the NCAA Selection Committee.
