NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Concordia College (N.Y.) women's basketball team began its 2018-19 season on Friday evening against eighth-ranked Bentley University, falling to the Falcons 94-56 at the Merrimack College Tournament.
NOTES
• Concordia begins the season 0-1.
• Bentley improves to 1-0.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Junior guard Nicole Nicholson (Staten Island, N.Y.) scored a team-best 12 points
• Sophomore guard Jackie Ciccotto (Staten Island, N.Y.) pulled down a team-high five rebounds.
• Freshman guard Sara Hopkins (Mountain Top, Pa.) led the team with four assists and three steals in her collegiate debut while chipping in four points.
• Junior center Amiya Rankins (Somerset, N.J.) scored 11 points with three boards and a team-high two blocks
• Sophomore guard Saundra Cleckley (Queens, N.Y.) also finished in double-digits with 10 points on a .455 clip with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• For Bentley, Victoria Lux scored 15 points with Katie Meriggioli pulling down 10 rebounds and Amy McConnell dishing out seven assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Bentley began the contest with a three pointer and jump shot on back-to-back possessions before sophomore forward Sabrina Clement (Queens, N.Y.) got the Clippers on the scoreboard via a three pointer to make it 5-3. Concordia knotted the score at 9-all with 6:24 remaining in the quarter after back-to-back jumpers from Ciccotto and Nicholson, but a quick Falcons' triple sparked a 17-2 run to create 26-11 score in favor of Bentley with 2:04 left in the quarter. Concordia ended the frame on an 8-3 run with Cleckley scoring three-straight baskets for the Clippers to cut the separation down to 10 at 29-19.
• After exchanging jump shots to start the second quarter with Nicholson connecting for Concordia, Bentley scored 18-straight points to take a 49-21 lead with 4:44 left in the half. Sophomore guard Cameron Corbett (Staten Island, N.Y.) ended the run with a triple, with Cleckley adding a layup before back-to-back three pointers for Bentley made it 54-26. Corbett connected on a triple with 12 seconds left in the half, while a pair of Bentley free throws with five ticks remaining created a 56-29 halftime score.
• Bentley held Concordia without a basket for the opening 3:18 of the third quarter, scoring eight-straight points before a layup from Clement made it 64-31. Cleckley, Rankins and Nicholson all scored baskets in the third frame for Concordia, who entered the final 10 minutes behind 80-38.
• The Falcons began the fourth quarter with a layup and three pointer before the two sides exchanged the ensuing six baskets to make it 91-45 with Nicholson scoring twice for Concordia and Rankins adding a layup during the back-and-fourth stretch. Concordia got back-to-back baskets from Rankins and Nicholson, sparking an 11-3 run to end the contest.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Clippers converted on 23-72 shots, going 4-13 from three-point territory and 6-12 from the free throw line.
• Bentley finished 31-64 from the field, 14-26 from distance and 18-23 from the free throw line.
• Concordia dished out 13 assists versus 28 for the Falcons.
• Concordia committed 12 turnovers, resulting in nine points for Bentley. The Falcons committed 21 turnovers, leading to 15 points.
• Bentley held a 61-28 advantage in rebounds
• Concordia' bench scored 15 points while Bentley got 40 from its bench.
• Concordia recorded 11 steals with while blocks while Bentley stole the ball eight times with six blocks.
• The Clippers scored four fast-break points versus 15 for Bentley.
UP NEXT
The Clippers conclude play in the Merrimack College Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 10 against the host Warriors at 5 p.m.
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