NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Redshirt junior
Ednaija Lassiter (Boston, Mass.) knocked down the game-winning shot with five seconds remaining as the Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball team defeated No. 21 Saint Thomas Aquinas, 65-63 at Moore Field House. The Owls improve to 7-4 overall, while the Spartans fall to 9-2 overall.
In addition to knocking down the game-winning shot, Lassiter collected 12 points and three rebounds, shooting 4-for-6 from the three-point range and 4-for-7 from the field. Senior
Imani Wheeler (Dumfries, Va.) recorded a career-high 11 assists, eight points and three steals. Redshirt junior
Jessica Fressle (Levittown, N.Y.) notched 20 points, five rebounds and one block, while shooting 4-for-9 from the three-point range. Redshirt freshman
Alexa Kellner (Stamford, Conn.) collected 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal, while shooting 4-for-6 from the field and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Quarter Scores
Q1: STA 13, SCS 8
Q2: STA 33, SCS 31
Q3: SCS 52, STA 48
Q4: SCS 65, STA 63
How It Happened
- Southern collected the first set of points as Lassiter sunk her first three of the game six seconds in. Saint Thomas counterattacked with a 13-0 run over a five-minute window to take the lead. The Spartans finished the quarter up by five.
- The second quarter saw both teams trade chances, but the Spartans held their lead. The Owls caught them after Fressle went on an 8-0 run herself. Saint Thomas eventually went into halftime with a two-point lead.
- STAC and SCSU were neck-and-neck in the third quarter as both teams continued to take their chances, but the Spartans held the lead for the first half of the quarter. Aaliyah Walker (Toronto, Ontario) knocked down a timely three-pointer at 5:08 to tie the game. Kellner went on to knock down two three-pointers in the remaining minutes to help the Owls finish the quarter with the lead.
- The Owls started the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run before the Spartans countered with a 10-2 run. With 11 seconds to go, Saint Thomas made a layup to take a one-point lead prompting the Owls to call a timeout. After advancing the ball, Wheeler rolled into the right elbow and dished a pass to Lassiter on the left wing who drained a three with five seconds remaining and secure the two-point victory over the nationally-ranked Spartans.
Notes
- Ednaija Lassiter collected her third-straight double-digit point game with 12 points against Saint Thomas.
- Imani Wheeler's 11 assists against Saint Thomas Aquinas are a career-high. Her previous career-high was nine assists on Nov. 10, 2018 against Post.
- Wheeler's 11 assists were the most since Nicole Grossbard record 13 against Saint Rose on Feb. 13, 2016. Her 11 assists were also the most by an Owl at home since Grossbard had 11 on Jan. 26, 2016.
- This was Jessica Fressle's third straight 20-point game and fifth of the season.
- Southern's 15 three-pointers was the most the Owls have made in a single-game since they made 12 against Chestnut Hill on Dec. 14.
Up Next
The Owls will go on a 12-day holiday hiatus before returning to the fold for their final game of 2019 on Monday, Dec. 30 when they travel to Amherst, Mass. to face DI opponent, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst for a non-conference matchup.
