ALBANY, New York Down by as many as 14 points, the American International College women's basketball team came back to defeat The College of Saint Rose on Tuesday, February 23 after more than three weeks off.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score:AIC 58, St Rose 50
Records:AIC improves to 4-1 on the season while St. Rose falls to 0-3.
Location:Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium Albany, New York
STATS LEADERS:
AIC:
Destine Perry: 14 points, six-of-eight from the line, three rebounds, three assists
Kayla Robinson: 13 points, six-of-eight from the field, two rebounds, two assists, two steals
Sara Guntin Barriero: 12 points, six-of-six from the field, four rebounds, two assists
Kyla Smith: 10 points, five rebounds
St. Rose
Becca Townes: 13 points, seven rebounds
Ryley Blasetti: 10 points, three rebounds
Isabel Sanchez: seven points, two rebounds
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After not playing for over three weeks, the Yellow Jackets came out a little rusty as the Golden Knights jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first five minutes. AIC started to warm up with a pair of free throws by senior Destine Perry. After a basket by the home team, AIC locked down on defense and controlled the rest of the quarter.
- Senior Sara Guntin Barriero, who had the first AIC field goal of the game, hit the second one as well with 2:06 remaining in the opening frame. With 37 ticks left, sophomore Kayla Robinson found her shot off a jumper to make it a 13-8 game after 10 minutes of play.
- Out of the break, the Golden Knights took back the momentum with a 13-4 run in the first five minutes to take a 14-point lead.
- With 3:44 left in the half, Perry found an open look on the drive and scored her third and fourth points of the night. AIC stopped the home team on the next possession and Robinson led Guntin Barriero with a pass for a layup. Perry hit a pair of freebies with just over two minutes on the clock to make it 26-18. The run continued with a layup by junior Kyla Smith that cut the deficit to two possessions.
- Defensively, Robinson picked up a steal and found sophomore Julia Carbonell Munoz on the fast break that made it a four-point game. Right before time expired, Perry launched a three that found the bottom of the net to bring it within one halfway through regulation.
- Out of the locker room, Perry scored her 11th point and gave AIC its first lead of the game. On their next possession, the Golden Knights retook the lead on a three.
- Leading 32-31, senior Asia Turner made her first shot of the night off a pass from Carbonell Munoz. That basket was the turning point that the Yellow Jackets needed. Over the last five and a half minutes of the third, AIC went on a 12-3 run and led by 10, 44-34, with just one quarter left to play.
- With 4:07 in the game, the home team started to make a push to get back in the game when Kaileigh Hunt nailed a jumper and was fouled. She completed the old-fashioned three-point play to make it 51-43. Saint Rose forced an AIC turnover and converted a three off the takeaway to bring it with two possessions and force an AIC timeout. Out of the huddle, Robinson finished a layup to give her team some breathing room.
- The Golden Knights made it a four-point game off a pair of free throws with under two minutes left, 54-50, as they looked to finish the comeback. AIC called a timeout with 58 seconds left. Four seconds later, Perry found Robinson for a close basket to extend the lead to six. The Golden Knights tried to find the bottom of the basket but went scoreless in the last 1:45 and missed their last six shots.
NEXT UP:
- AIC and the Golden Knights will play tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Butova Gymnasium.
- Owing to continued restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spectators are not permitted for home games; the game will be available to stream for free on theNE10 Now Network.
