Box Score THE BASICS
Score: Elms College 60, Dean College 54
Records: Elms College (11-12, 7-9 NECC), Dean College (10-13, 8-8 NECC)
Location: Elms College, Chicopee, Mass.
Date: Saturday, February 9, 2019
Time: 1:00 PM
THE LEAD:
Despite a furious second half comeback that cut a 15 point deficit down to two, the Dean College Bulldogs were ultimately upended by the Elms College Blazers, falling 60-54 in New England Collegiate College (NECC) play in Chicopee, Mass. on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Elms jumped out early, taking a 10-4 lead in the game's opening minutes. After a four minute scoreless stretch, Bulldog freshman Makayla Rudder (Springfield, Mass.) finished a second chance lay-in off a feed from Jamaya Cleveland (Greensboro, Ga.) to cut the gap to 10-6 with two minutes left in the first quarter. In the closing moments of the quarter, Amanda Miressi (New Rochelle, N.Y.) connected from three point range to cut the lead to 12-9.
After trading hoops for most of the second quarter, Elms took control of the game with an 11-0 run and closed the half with a 31-16 lead.
Dean thundered back in the third quarter, outscoring the hosts 23-13 throughout the frame. Two triples from Miressi, and baskets from Rudder, Iindia Pina (Carver, Mass,) Nicole Romero (Winchendon, Mass.), and Sitaara Muhammad (Brockton, Mass.) powered the Bulldogs comeback. Elms responded with a basket late in the quarter to push the lead back to five entering the final period.
Two quick hoops to open the final stanza balooned the Elms lead to nine with a minute gone by. Dean scored the next seven points to cut the lead to two on a Rudder free throw with six minutes remaining, but Elms held on down the stretch, outscoring the Bulldogs 12-8 to secure the 60-54 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Rudder finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds, while Miressi and Pina both scored nine points. Cleveland scored six points and added seven rebounds.
UP NEXT:
Dean hosts Newbury at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday in NECC action. Elms travels to New England College on Tuesday for a 6:00 p.m. tilt, also in NECC play.
THE BASICS
Score: Becker College 62, Dean College 51
Records: Becker College (16-6, 13-2 NECC), Dean College (10-12, 8-7 NECC)
Location: Pieri Gymnasium, Franklin, Mass.
Date: Thursday, February 7, 2019
Time: 7:00 PM
THE LEAD:
Despite a season high 16 points from senior sharpshooter Amanda Miressi (New Rochelle, N.Y.) the Dean College Bulldogs fell to conference leading Becker College 62-51 on Thursday night in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) action in Franklin, Mass.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
In front of a packed house celebrating White Ribbon Night, the game got off to a slow scoring start. The Bulldogs led 4-0 at the midway point of the opening quarter and ended the first frame with a 5-3 lead. Action picked up in the second quarter with both teams trading baskets early. A Makayla Rudder (Springfield, Mass.) layup tied the game at 12 with six minutes to play in the second period.
Becker scored nine of the next 12 points to take a 21-15 lead with two minutes remaining in the half, and maintained their advantage for a 23-17 halftime lead.
A Cassidy Harrison three pointer followed by a Jazlyn Contreras lay-in stretched the Hawks cushion to nine after 90 seconds of third quarter play. Becker continued to apply the pressure, and another triple from Harrison extended the gap to 14 (35-21) for the visitors with a little over half of the third quarter complete.
Mirressi and Rudder countered with baskets to cut into the Becker stronghold, but the Hawks consistently responded and led 42-31 going into the fourth quarter.
Mirressi drilled a three pointer off a feed from fellow senior Jamaya Cleveland (Greensboro, Ga.) early in the fourth quarter to narrow the lead to eight. Back to back baskets from Rudder, including an "and-one" three point play, closed the deficit to its smallest in the half (42-39) with seven minutes to play.
Becker responded again, extending the lead back to nine with five minutes left. Dean continued to score down the stretch, but could not get the neccesary stops and Becker held on for the 62-51 NECC win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Miressi's 16 points were a season high, but Rudder actually led the Bulldogs, scoring 18 points while adding 10 rebounds. Nicole Romero (Winchendon, Mass.) scored nine and collected four rebounds while Allison Buckley (Guilford, Vt.) snagged six boards in 27 minutes off the bench.
UP NEXT:
Dean travels to Elms for a 1:00 p.m. NECC tilt on Saturday afternoon. Becker hosts Bay Path on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
