Rams Charge to Victory over AMCATS, 66-59

PAXTON, Mass. --- The Anna Maria College women's basketball team fell to the visiting Rams of Suffolk University, 66-59 on Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action. The loss drops the AMCATS to 2-9 overall this season and 0-4 in the GNAC. The rams improve to 8-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Anna Maria shot 38.6 percent from the field (22-of-57) while the Rams shot 36 percent (18-of-50). The AMCATS posted a .37 shooting percentage from three-point range going 5-for-8 on the night while Suffolk shot just 31.6 percent hitting six three pointers. The Rams outshot the AMCATS at the free throw line, tallying 24 points. The AMCATS hit five of their eight free throws on the night.

Suffolk forced 17 Anna Maria turnovers and converted them into 14 points. The AMCATS forced 14 turnovers and collected seven points.

Suffolk's bench stepped up in the contest tallying 33 of the Ram's 66 points.

The AMCATS had three players finish in double digits on the night. Nicole Mareiro (Acushnet, Mass.) led with 15 points followed by Deja Taitt (Cambia Heights, N.Y.) and Shannon Hofmiller (Oxford, Conn.) with 14 points each. Christina Gauvin (Dudley, Mass.) posted eight points and ten rebounds in the loss.

The Rams were led by Alexis Hackett who tallied 18 points in the victory. Georgia Bourkis added nine points while Marissa Gudauskas came off the bench with nine points, a steal, an assist, and a rebound. Katelyn Rourke had a strong night under the hoop for Suffolk earning 11 rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The AMCATS controlled most of the game, gaining their largest lead (12 points) in the third quarter. The Rams came alive in the final quarter starting a 7-0 run with 7:52 on the clock. Suffolk's Alexis Hackett drained two three-pointers to tie the game at 53 points apiece. Suffolk then hit three consecutive free-throws to take a 56-53 lead with 5:20 to play. With two minutes on the clock the Rams went ahead by seven points following a pair of free throws from Hackett. Hofmiller was able to knock down two layups and a pair of free throws, but this would end scoring plays for the AMCATS. With 53 seconds to play Hackett went to the line three times and knocked down all six shots to put the AMCATS out of reach and take the final 66-59 victory.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The AMCATS travel to Simmons College on January 12^th to take on the Sharks in a GNAC contest starting at 7:00 PM. Suffolk hosts Albertus Magnus on January 12^th for a 5:00 PM conference match-up.