Box Score QUARTER SCORES:1: 17-11 (SCS)
2: 26-25 (PAC)
3: 39-37 (PAC)
FINAL SCORE: So. Conn. St. 58 | Pace 54
SOUTHWEST DIVISION STANDINGS:
SCHOOL NE-10 OVERALL1. American Int'l 16-4 23-4
2. So. Connecticut 11-9 18-10
3. Le Moyne 10-9 13-12
4. Adelphi 10-10 17-11
5. New Haven 9-10 13-12
6. Saint Rose 8-12 14-13
7. Pace 6-14 11-17
NORTHEAST-10 POSTSEASON OUTLOOK:The top five teams in the Southwest Division advance to the 2015-16 Northeast-10 Conference Championship. Following tonight's win and losses from Adelphi and Le Moyne, Southern Connecticut has earned the No. 2 seed, right behind American International with the No. 1 seed. Being the No. 2 seed, the Owls will now play, and host, on Sunday, Feb. 28 against the No. 3 seed in the Northeast Division. There is currently a tie for the No. 3 seed between Assumption College and Franklin Pierce University who both share records of 11-10 in its division.
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. - Led by a career-high 22 points from junior
Taylor McLaughlin (Colchester, Conn.) and a double-double from senior
Jackie Beathea (Annandale, Va.), the Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball team extended its winning streak to four as the Owls defeated Pace University 58-54 in their regular season finale on Tuesday evening at the Goldstein Fitness Center.
With the win, the Owls wrap up the 2015-16 season with an overall record of 18-10 and 11-9 while the Setters fall to 11-17 and 6-14 in the Southwest Division.
For the third time in her career, McLaughlin recorded a career-high 22 points while shooting 50.0 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from behind the arc and 100 percent from the free-throw line. McLaughlin also chipped in with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal for the Owls.
Beathea registered a season-high 19 double-doubles as she tallied 13 points, 12 rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Pace opened the game with four straight points to take the early 4-0 lead, but back-to-back layups from Beathea and McLaughlin tied the game at 4-4 three minutes in. Shortly after, the Setters rallied off a 5-2 run to push their lead to three, 9-6, until a layup from
Danielle Powell (Middletown, N.Y.) sparked a 9-0 run to put the Owls ahead 17-9 with 2:10 remaining in the quarter. Pace would score two more points to bring the score to within six, 17-11, to close out the frame.
Pace wouldn't stop there as its run continued into the second quarter and cut Southern Connecticuts' lead to one, 17-16. However, the Owls would keep their composure and extend their lead back up to three, 21-18, following a jumper from
Maria Weselyj (Marlborough, Conn.) with 6:38 left until halftime. At the 4:06 mark, Pace would take over the lead, 24-23, but two minutes later
Murphy Murad (Storrs, Conn.) helped the Owls regain the lead, 25-24. But, Geena Rosalbo would give the hosts the upper hand, 26-25, at the half.
Trailing by one at the half, Southern Connecticut came out with fire in its eyes as the visitors regained the lead, 32-28, over Pace after a layup from McLaughlin at the 7:59 mark. Four minutes later, Pace managed to tie the game at 32-32 thanks to a layup from Kirsten Dodge before closing out the third quarter with a 7-5 run to take a 39-37 lead over the Owls.
In the final quarter, Pace would lead over the first five minutes of play until a three from McLaughlin tied the game at 46-46. From that point on, Southern Connecticut would keep the lead in its favor and led for no more than six points, 56-50, with 21 seconds on the clock. Pace would threaten the visitors' lead to four, 56-52, with 14 secondsleft to play, but the Owls would go on to win it 58-54.
For the game, the Owls shot 38.5 percent from the floor and 81.8 percent from the free throw line. Southern Connecticuts' bench led the evening with a 26-11 edge in points while Pace posted a 23-9 edge in points off turnovers.
The Owls will look to continue their run into the postseason as the team will host either Assumption College or Franklin Pierce University on Sunday, Feb. 28. Time is yet to be determined.
