Box Score BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Led by two career-high performances by senior tri-captain
Nicole Grossbard (Pearl River, N.Y.) and sophomore
Paige Decker (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.), the Southern Connecticut State University defeated the University of Bridgeport 86-64 on Sunday evening as part of the 2015 Bridgeport Classic-Conference Challenge at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium.
Following the win, the Owls remain undefeated with an overall record of 2-0 and the Purple Knights drop to 0-2 on the season.
Grossbard led the Owls this evening with a career-high 20 points and team-high seven assists, while Decker chipped in with a career-high 13 points, two steals, three rebounds and two assists. Senior
Danielle Powell (Middletown, N.Y.) and junior
Maria Weselyj (Marlborough, Conn.) rounded out the Owls' double-digit leaders with 11 and 14 points, respectively.
The game was scoreless until the 8:20 mark as Weselyj broke the silence with a good jumper in the paint to give the Owls the early lead. Following that basket, the Owls went on a 7-0 run to push their lead to nine before extending their lead to double-digits with 5:35 left to play in the quarter. After two made free throws from Kaduah Dickson, Bridgeport brought the score to within nine, 12-3, but the Owls' offense kept their lead to double-digits, 24-11, to close out the first quarter.
Southern Connecticut did not stop there as Grossbard opened the second quarter with a deep three to give the Owls their biggest lead so far with 16. As the clock winded down, Bridgeport battled back to within 13 on five different occasions, but it was all Southern Connecticut who held its composure and extended its lead to 21, 45-24, after a long range three from Weselyj. Following four minutes of no baskets, Bridgeport hit back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Purple Knights to within 15, 45-30, heading into the locker room.
In the first half, the Owls were shooting above 50 percent from the field and from long range as well as recording 15 of the 45 points off Bridgeport's 11 turnovers. Weselyj led the Owls in the first half with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting from long range.
Bridgeport came out fighting to start off the third quarter as the cut the Owls' lead to eight, 48-40, at the 6:10 mark. Over the next couple of minutes, Bridgeport remained within arms reach of Southern Connecticut, but a 9-2 run put the Owls right back on top 57-42. For the remainder of the quarter, the Owls maintained their double-digit lead, 68-48, heading into the fourth quarter.
Over the final 10 minutes of action, the Owls continued to rack up the points and keep their lead to above 20. At the 8:01 mark, Bridgeport cut the lead to 18, 70-52, but from that point on Southern Connecticut outshot the Purple Knights 16-12.
The Owls return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 18 as they open up Northeast-10 Conference play at Adelphi University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Garden City, N.Y.
