Boxscore
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Senior forward Kate Lynch (Rumford, R.I.) led all scorers with 28 points and added a career- and game-high 13 rebounds to record her first double-double of the season, but the No. 2 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball was defeated by No. 7 nationally ranked Bentley 65-62 in Northeast-10 Conference play at Moore Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. Colette Josey led Bentley with a career-best 20 points to go with 10 rebounds for a double-double of her own.
For the second time in as many games, the Owls took the lead out of the gate. SCSU opened the first 3:40 of the game with an 8-3 run punctuated by a layup by sophomore forward
Sarah Houseknecht (Olean, N.Y.). Houseknecht had the only two field goals of the opening run, with the Owls' other four points coming from the free throw line. The rest of the half would feature back-and-forth scoring, as SCSU took a 35-34 lead into the lockerroom.
Lynch led all scorers with 14 points in the first half and also led all rebounders as she collected five rebounds. She was joined in double figures by senior guard Kaylie Schiavetta (Northport, N.Y.), who collected 10 points in the opening stanza. For Bentley, Colette Josey and Kristy McLean led the way with 10 points apiece in the first half.
Near the midpoint of the first half, the Owls went on an 8-0 run in a span of just less than four minutes to take their biggest lead of the game at 58-49. SCSU spread the scoring on the run with each of their four field goals coming from a different player. However, Bentley would immediately answer with a 14-2 run over the next five-plus minutes and took the lead for good with 4:40 to play in the game at 61-60. Josey struck for eight points for the Falcons over the course of the run. The teams would swap baskets over the remainder of the game, with Bentley pushing the lead as high as three points and eventually winning by the same margin, 65-62.
For the game, Lynch led all players with 28 points on 8-for-15 shooting and 10-for-14 from the free throw line. Lynch also posted game highs with both four blocks and four steals. Schiavetta was the other Owl in double figures, as she poured in a career-high 14 points on 4-for-9 shooting and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe.
For Bentley, Josey finished with a team- and career-best 20 points by shooting 10-for-12 from the floor. She also led the team with 10 rebounds on the evening. Kristy McLean was right behind her with 18 points of her own after going 9-for-10 from the free throw line. McLean also dished out a game-high four assists and recorded three steal.
On the night, SCSU shot 19-for-51 (37.3%) from the floor, 3-for-9 (33.3%) from three-point range and 21-for-29 (72.4%) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Bentley shot 26-for-63 (41.3%) from the field, 2-for-7 (28.6%) from behind the arc and 11-for-16 (68.8%) from the foul line.
The Owls return to action on Sunday, Nov. 25 when they visit New Haven in a non-conference contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Charger Gymnasium in New Haven, Conn.
