BOXSCORE - GAME 1 - BROOKLYN 64, LEHMAN 58
The Brooklyn College Bulldogs (21-6), undoubtedly the best team during the regular season with a perfect 11-0 Conference mark, held off perennial favorite Lehman College, 64-58, in the first semifinal tonight at City College’s Nat Holman Gymnasium. With the win, BC qualified for the CUNYAC/Con Edison Championship game for the first time since 1980, the first-ever women’s title game. They will face the four-time defending champions, #2 Baruch College (18-9), an easy 74-51 winner over #3 Hunter tonight, at CCNY on Saturday, February 25th (3:00 pm).
Both teams enjoyed an early run right at the start, as Lehman (15-12) took a 7-1 lead only three minutes into the game, but Brooklyn responded right back with a 9-0 rally of their own, on three buckets by TIFFANY THOMPSON (eight points, nine rebounds at the break) with over 13 minutes remaining.
For the rest of the half, neither team was able to seize more than a four-point lead as both teams stepped up their defensive efforts. Both teams shot under 35 percent from the floor, under 50% from the free throw line and 1-8 from long distance in the first half, as nerves seemed to be a factor as well.
The Bulldogs, the #1 seed for the first time in school history, were paced in the first period by CHARNELLE ST. LAURENT with nine points, while JUSTINE O’CALLAHAN had six points and four boards.
"We wanted to prove ourselves," said O'Callahan, "And we were able to do that tonight. Everyone stepped up and played great. I’m really proud of this team."
Lightning senior all-star AMANDA DE LA CRUZ led all scorers with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists at the break, followed by LESLIE MENCIA (10 points) and SHALAYA NIEVES (11 points) off the bench with five points a piece. ALICIA McDANIEL grabbed a team-high eight rebounds in the first for Lehman. She finished with a game-high 19 boards.
"I thought that Lehman played a great game tonight, especially De La Cruz," said Brooklyn Head Coach ALEX LANG. "Our girls played a great game as well and fought back. I think this win is a testament to the heart we played with all season and how much we wanted it."
The Bulldogs were able to stretch out to a six point lead in the second half, 42-36 on another bucket by Thomspon seven minutes in, but the more experienced Lightning kept coming back, and with four straight points by De La Cruz with just over five minutes left, the contest was tied again at 52-52. De La Cruz led all scorers in the penultimate game with 21 points and almost had a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Up by one point, 57-56 with 1:20 left in regulation, a St. Laurent layup and one and completed the traditional three-point play at the foul line for a 60-56 lead. Then following a layup by Mencia and back-to-back timeouts to give the teams a breather, Brooklyn freshman guard NICOLE FRANCOMANO (eight points, six assists) scored on a 10 footer from right outside the paint to put the lead back to four points with 0:38 left. LAUREN PLAGAINOS (eight points, 10 rebounds), another Brooklyn all-star went to the line and sank two free throws to ice the game with 0:28 on the clock.
O'Callahan led the Bulldogs with 16 points, followed closely by Thompson (14 points, 14 rebounds) and St. Laurent with 12 points.
“It feels great to be given the time to transform the program, get the players, and build the program,” Lang lamented on getting to the championship in his tenth season at the helm. “I attribute all the success to our alumni and all of the players that have helped build this program with us to a championship level."
"But Saturday we have a chance to do something very special for Brooklyn College," he conlcuded.
Saturday's schedule will feature our Alumni Celebration at 12:00 noon, followed by the Women's Final at 3:00 pm and conclude with the Men's Final (31 Staten Island vs. #6 Medgar Evers) at 5:00 pm. Both CUNYAC/Con Edison Champions receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championships next week.
BOXSCORE - GAME 2 - BARUCH 74, HUNTER 51
Current CUNYAC/Con Edison Player of the Year JESSICA DULEBA tallied 18 points, as the four-time defending champions, Baruch College Bearcats (18-9) crushed archrival #3 Hunter College 74-51, in the second semifinal at CCNY’s Nat Holman Gymnasium tonight. Baruch will now face the top-seeded Brooklyn Bulldogs, a 64-58 winner over #4 Lehman earlier, in the 2012 CUNYAC/Con Edison Women’s Basketball Championship on Saturday at 3:00 pm preceding the men’s final at 5:00 pm.
An ALYSCIA JORDAN (7 points, 12 rebounds) offensive board and putback with 1:48 left in the first half put the Bearcats up 35-15 and they never looked back. stormed out to a 37-18 score at intermission of the . Duleba had 13 points at the break and finished the game six steals as well.
"I think it was a great win and we're going to have to take care of business on Saturday," exclaimed Duleba. "There is definitely pressure on us, everyone plays their best when they play against us so we just can't let up at any point during the game."
Hunter (13-14) had a tough day matching up with the bigger Baruch squad, only completing 32% (18-56) of their field goal attempts and getting hammered on the boards, 58-34 and 23-5 on offensive rebounds. But sophomore forward KRISTEN MARKOE, a two-time all-star tried her best to put the Hawks on her back as she finished with 25 points (8-13 on field goals) and 11 rebounds.
FOLASHADE AKINDE (12 points, seven rebounds) and IYANNA ABRAMS (10 points, four steals) also contributed in the victory, Baruch’s 14th consecutive CUNYAC Championship Tournament victory, dating back to their loss in the final in 2007.
"We're feeling really good. It's at this point in the season when we're playing our best basketball, said five-time CUNYAC/Con Edison Tournament Champion coach MACHLI JOSEPH. "When we faced Brooklyn earlier in the season we were a whole different team. We're going to focus on building chemistry on the court and emphasize defense. We are a starless team. We need everyone to make a contribution in the finals to bring the championship home."
UPDATED CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & BRACKETS
On Sunday in the Women's quarterfinals, #1 Brooklyn, who breezed by #8 York, 63-25, were led by Charnelle Saint Laurent with 21 points. #2 Baruch, the four-time defending champions, beat #7 John Jay with a well-balanced performance. #3 Hunter topped crosstown rival #6 John Jay, 74-62, with all-star Kristen Markoe collecting 27 points and 14 rebounds, which included a perfect 13-13 performance at the free throw line. In the final game of the day, #4 Lehman led throughout in a 74-58 win over #5 Staten Island with Leslie Mencia leading the way with a game-high 24 points.
Check back every day until Championship Saturday, February 25th for all the latest hoops action.
More to come all weekend long. Stay tuned to CUNYAthletics.com for the latest!
