FLUSHING, N.Y. – It was a big afternoon for the Owls offense as the Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball team cruised past Queens College, 83-60, at the Fitzgerald Gymnasium in Flushing. Five Owls hit double-digits in points while three players posted double-doubles. With the win, the Owls' have now opened the year at 5-0. The last time Southern Connecticut started a season a 5-0 was in 2006-07 when the Owls captured the NCAA Division II National Championship.
Junior
Jessica Fressle (Levittown, N.Y.) had 20 points and 13 rebounds, junior
Aaliyah Walker (Toronto, Ontario) had 16 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and four steals and
Kiana Steinauer (Oakville, Ontario) had 10 points and 10 boards.
Imani Wheeler (Dumfries, Va.) had a season-high 12 points with six assists and five steals.
RECORDS: So. Connecticut (5-0) | Queens (1-4)
QUARTER SCORES
| 1st – SCSU 18, QC 16 |
3rd – SCSU 66, QC 48 |
| 2nd – SCSU 40, QC 32 |
4th – SCSU 83, QC 60 |
KEY PERFORMERS
Points: Jessica Fressle (20),
Amanda Pfohl (17),
Aaliyah Walker (16),
Imani Wheeler (12),
Kiana Steinauer (10)
Rebounds: Fressle (13), Steinauer (10), Walker (8)
Assists: Walker (10), Wheeler (6)
Steals: Wheeler (5), Walker (4)
NOTABLE FACTS
- This is Fressle's first double-double of the season and while her 13 rebounds tops her previous career-high of 10 against Bridgeport on Nov. 12, 2017.
- With 10 points and 10 rebounds, Steinauer extended her double-double streak to five games.
- Pfohl's 17 points agains Queens ties her career-high that she set last week against Le Moyne.
- Walker's 16 points, 10 assists and 5 steals were all career-highs. Walker's 10 assists were also the most for the Owls in a single game this season and the most since Murphy Murad had 10 against New Haven on Nov. 30, 2016.
- Wheeler's five steals matched Steinauer's five swipes against St. Rose on Nov. 14 for a team-high this season.
- Allie Smith's (Danbury, Conn.) two blocked shots were also the most this season for the Owls.
- This game was the first time since Dec. 17, 2015 that three Owls had double-doubles when Danielle Powell (14 points, 12 rebounds), Jackie Beathea (14 points, 17 rebounds) and Taylor McLaughlin (15 points, 10 rebounds) did it in a 69-65 win against Caldwell.
1st QUARTER
- The Knights went on a 12-4 run in the first three minutes of play to set the pace. Queens held the lead for most of the quarter until the Owls went on a 6-0 run to finish the frame and Walker drained the go-ahead jumper to give Southern a two-point lead.
2nd QUARTER
- Both teams traded points for most of the frame, but it was the Owls who heated up and went on a 16-7 run ignited by a three-pointer from Pfohl that got them started.
3rd QUARTER
- A fast break layup from Fressle set the tone for the Owls to start the third quarter as Southern went on a 10-0 run to increase their lead to 20 points over Queens.
- Queens began to chip away at the Owls' lead, coming within 11 points, but Southern prevailed and went on a 9-2 run to finish out the quarter.
4th QUARTER
- Southern took charge in the final frame starting off the first three minutes with an 11-2 run.
- A layup from senior Erin Ryder (Congers, N.Y.) put their Owls at their largest lead of the game of 26 points.
- The final two minutes saw neither team score a point, but a balanced effort from the Owls proved to be the difference maker as they took the victory in Flushing, N.Y..
UP NEXT
Southern is set to host crosstown rival, University of New Haven, on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m. at James Moore Field House.
