SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - Although the team rallied from a double-digit deficit, the American International College women's basketball team was unable to complete a comeback, ultimately falling to Saint Michael's College 73-61 in the Northeast 10 Conference Championship Tournament First Round on Sunday, March 1.
AIC is now 16-11 overall.
The Purple Knights landed threes on each of their first two possessions, and held a 10-2 lead just two minutes in. That edge reached 10 points by the 4:25 mark, before
Chelsea Reeves set up
Ahliya Phillips for a three that sparked a run for the Yellow Jackets where Reeves knocked down two free throws and
Eden Monka made a layup as well. However, the Purple Knights responded with six straight of their own, and led 22-13 at the break.
As with the first quarter, Saint Michael's struck from distance to start the second, expanding their lead to 12. AIC began chipping away in the middle of the quarter, helped by a three and a two from
Ruzgar Christina Boyle, the latter of which shrank the deficit back to 33-30. AIC kept the visitors close from there, and Reeves hitting a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left in the half sent AIC to the locker room within a field goal, 38-36.
Neither team could go on a run in the third as the gap fluctuated between two and four points for nearly the first six minutes until a Boyle and-one drew AIC within one. Phillips and Reeves both made shots down the stretch, but so did the guests, and AIC trailed 52-51 heading into the final frame.
The Purple Knights again splashed a three to start the fourth, part of a five-point run that
Sarai Gurley cut off with a triple of her own. However, that was as close as AIC could get again in the game. The visiting squad clamped down and made eight free throws in the final two minutes to pull away and win 73-61.
Reeves led the game with 20 points, while Bennett scored 13 and grabbed seven rebounds; both had four assists.
AIC now awaits the results of the conference tournaments and the final math to be calculated for NCAA Tournament selection, which is slated for Sunday, March 8 at 10:30 p.m.
