HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Rosemont women's basketball team (4-9, 2-4 CSAC) came out in tonight's game playing a formidable first half, scoring 26 points and forcing the home Centenary Cyclones (2-12, 1-4 CSAC) to turn the ball over 13 times and shoot only 15.4% from the field. But the Cyclones would snap back in the second half as the Ravens staved off the Centenary comeback, winning the game by a final score of 56-53.
The first bucket of the game went to Centenary, but the rest of the first half belonged totally to Rosemont. With 9:07 left in the half the Ravens led 21-4, holding the Cyclones from scoring a field goal for 12 ½ minutes. Rosemont ran out the remainder of the half with a commanding 26-10 lead going into the break.
The Cyclones sniffed a potential comeback to start the second half, though, as they outscored the Ravens 14-8 in the first 7 ½ minutes of the half to get back to within 10 points with Rosemont leading 34-24. With the Ravens still holding a 10-point lead with 10:42 to go, the home side turned on another gear while the Ravens tried hard to hold them off.
Centenary had a 12-3 surge and carved Rosemont's lead to a lone point with the Ravens still holding a 41-40 lead with 5:37 left. A jumper from Dominique Sellers would be answered by another Cyclone basket to make it 43-42 in favor of the Ravens with 5:20 left on the clock. Missed jumpers by both teams ended with a 3-point bucket by Centenary's Rachel Edwards to wrest back the lead for the Cyclones, 45-43 with 4:20 left. It was the home side's first lead since the opening basket of the game.
Sellers came through again to tie the score at 45-all and a Liz Coyne free throw put Rosemont back ahead by a 46-45 score with 2:43 remaining. Coyne answered a Cyclones bucket again to retain a 1-point lead for the Ravens, 48-47. The Cyclones tied the game at 48-48 on a free throw with 1:38 left and the nail biting would continue down the stretch.
Another Cyclone free throw gave them a 49-48 edge with 1:12 on the clock, but a clutch jumper from Kierra Smith gave Rosemont back the lead at 50-49 with a minute to play. Smith got a big rebound off of a Centenary missed shot and she was fouled. She sank both free throws giving the Ravens a 52-49 lead with only 34 ticks left on the clock. A foul on Centenary resulted in one made free throw, so the Ravens still led by two points, 52-50 with 22 seconds left. Nymira Nelson was fouled and made one shot from the charity stripe to force Centenary to try for a three-pointer with the clock now a major factor.
The Raven's defense stopped a Centenary shot, and turnovers from both teams ended up with a steal by Jasmyn Parker, who was fouled with four seconds left and the Ravens holding a 53-50 lead. Parker made one free throw to give the Ravens a 54-50 lead, but Liz Coyne grabbed a game-ending offensive rebound off of the missed free throw. She was fouled and made both shots at the line to give Rosemont a 56-50 lead. Centenary's Ally Fugnitty sank a three as time expired to account for the final score of 56-53. Centenary outscored Rosemont 43-30 in the second half.
Liz Coyne scored her 7th double-double of the year tonight. She notched 21 points with 10 rebounds to lead the Ravens in both categories on the night. Dominique Sellers (13) and Kierra Smith (10) also scored in double-figures for the Ravens. Leilani Naone-Carter and Smith were both big off the glass, nabbing six rebounds apiece.
The Cyclones were led by Rachel Edwards who scored 12 points with 11 rebounds for a dub-dub. Mallory George was tough to move out of the paint as she reeled in 14 rebounds on the night.
Next up for the Ravens is a non-conference game at Penn State – Brandywine on Saturday, 1/17. Tip-off time for the game is slated for 1:00pm.
