Box Score

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Kiana Steinauer (Oakville, Ontario) tallied her 12^th double-double of the season as the Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball squad clinched the NE10 Southwest Division title with a 53-50 win over Pace this afternoon.
 
RECORDS: So. Connecticut (20-8, 14-6 NE10) | Pace (15-12, 11-8 NE10)
 
1^st Quarter Score: SCSU 13, PU 10
2^nd Quarter Score: SCSU 29, PU 21
3^rd Quarter Score: SCSU 41, PU 36
 
Key Performers
Points: Kiana Steinauer (15), Abby Hurlbert (13), Murphy Murad (8)
Rebounds: Steinauer (14), Hurlbert (7), Africa Williams (4)
Steals: Hurlbert (3), Murad (2)
Assist: Murad (2), A.Williams (2)
 
Notable Facts
·With this win, the Owls clinch the NE10 Southwest Division Title.
·Kiana Steinauer (Oakville, Ontario) tallied her 12^th double-double of the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
· Pace opened the scoring where they put up the first four point of the game. Southern counterattacked with an 11-0 run to take the lead. The Setters called timeout in an attempt to regroup from the Owls offensive attack, but SCSU finished the first quarter up by three.
 
· Southern began the second quarter on an 11-2 run, and took their largest lead of the day at the 4:29 mark up by 12. The Owls took an eight-point lead into halftime.
 
· The third frame saw both teams trading points with Pace looking to cut into the Owls lead. The Setters came within four points of the Owls, but Southern would continue to put points on the board and finished the quarter up by five.
 
· With the Southwest Division title on the line, both squads knew it was crunch time. Pace began chipping away at the Owls lead to briefly tie it before Abby Hurlbert (Thomaston, Conn.) drove hard to the basket with a good layup to regain the lead.
 
· In the winding minutes of the final frame, the Setters made a push to capture the lead with a good layup from Lauren Schetter. Murphy Murad (Storrs, Conn.) was fouled and went to the line, where she drained two shots to put the Owls back on top, 50-49.
 
· Murad was fouled again and banked two free throws to give the Owls a three-point lead with one-minute remaining in the game. Schetter took her turn at the charity stripe and would cash in one of her two shots to put Pace within two with 49 seconds left. Steinauer's free throw with 22 seconds remaining gave the Owls a three-point edge. Pace would attempt at a three pointer to send the game to overtime, but was unable to convert at the buzzer.
 
· Murad's perfection from the free throw line and the Owls' tenacity throughout a full 40 minutes of play were the determining factors in Southern capturing the NE10 Southwest Division title.
 
UP NEXT
The Owls are set to host an NE10 Quarterfinal matchup on February 25. The game time and opponent are to be determined.

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