(Courtesy of Felician College Sports Information)
RUTHERFORD, N.J. – All five starters scored in double figures as the Felician College women's basketball team used a 50-point second half to earn a come-from-behind 71-65 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory over visiting Georgian Court University on Saturday afternoon at Job Gymnasium.
Felician (5-9, 5-2 CACC) trailed, 28-21, at halftime, and by 10 points with 14 minutes, 27 seconds, left to play in regulation. The Golden Falcons scored 10 consecutive points to tie the score at 45-45 at the 9:39 mark, but found themselves again down by five with 7:27 left.
Felician then took control for good, embarking on a 14-3 run which spanned the next six minutes of game time. Freshman forward Sierra McDuffie (Paterson, N.J./PCTI) sparked the rally, making a lay-up and a three-pointer to tie the score for the ninth and final time, 54-54, at 6:04. The Golden Falcons stretched to 58-54 before a three-point field goal by GCU senior Shauneia McPherson brought the visitors back within one. But Felician junior Jac'Quel Saunders (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) responded with a conventional three-point play, and Keisha Jean-Louis' (Somerville, Mass./Somerville) steal and eventual put-back made the score 63-57 at 1:37.
Felician went 6 for 8 at the free-throw line in the final 43 seconds to preserve the victory. Saunders paced the hosts with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and McDuffie recorded a season-high 15 points and added seven rebounds and two blocks. Trina Plummer (West Bablyon, N.Y./North Babylon) scored 14 points with eight boards.
The Golden Falcons received solid support from juniors Gisell Peguero (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) (five rebounds, seven assists) and Jean-Louis (eight caroms, five blocks), who netted 10 points apiece. Georgian Court (3-10, 3-5), meanwhile, picked up 42 points from its bench. Tahira Matthews produced 22 points and nine rebounds, and McPherson scored 18. Christina White enjoyed a 13-point, 11-rebound effort, her fourth double-double of the season.
The Golden Falcons blocked nine shots in the game, and shot 54 percent from the field in the second half. The teams evenly split 58 turnovers.
