AMCATS Claim Overtime Victory over Lasell, 50-48

NEWTON, Mass. – Led by senior Deja Taitt (Cambia Heights, N.Y.) the Anna Maria College women's basketball team earned their second Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory with a 50-48 overtime thriller on Tuesday evening at Lasell College. Both teams shift to 5-17 overall, and 2-12 in the conference.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Three AMCATS reached double-digit scoring on the stat sheet, led by Deja Taitt's 15 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Christina Gauvin (Dudley, Mass.) followed suit with 12 points and five boards, while Kristina Russo (South Windsor, Conn.) rounded out double-digit scoring with 10 points.

Morgan Church was Lasell's leading scorer, going 4-of-11 from the floor for 14 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Madison Cota came off the bench to score 11 points of her own – making all but one of eight free throws – with 11 additional rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Freshman Dana Ross led the Lasers on the glass with 12 rebounds, in her third straight defensive performance in double figures.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In a low-scoring affair after two full quarters, neither team shot above 25% with the visitors holding an 18-16 advantage at the break. After five minutes of a scoreless third, Brianna Hoffman sandwiched a deep shot between back-to-back trios from Taitt and Emily Capstick (Worcester, Mass.) to keep the lead in favor of Anna Maria, 24-19. With 1:27 on the game clock, the Lasers showed some light as Taylor Hughey sank a clutch three to trail the visitors by a single basket, before Jaime Caron deadlocked the score at 27 with a pair of freebies.

A 10-5 charge behind Hoffman and Church gave the hosts the lead, 37-35, with 4:07 left to go in regulation. A trio from Church at 3:04 kept the score in favor of the hosts by two, but Anna Maria didn't fault, as two free throws from Nicole Mareiro (Acushnet, Mass.) pulled the visitors on top 42-40, before Cota's jumper to send the two teams into overtime.

The AMCATS sprinted to an 8-0 run in the overtime affair, but Church and Caron threw a quick five on the board to trail 49-47. Fouled with 19 seconds left to go, Ross made a basket at the charity stripe, but was avenged by a freebie from Gauvin for a final score of 50-48 in favor of the AMCATS.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Both teams return to GNAC action on Saturday, February 11. The Lasers welcome Mount Ida College for a 2:00 p.m. tip, while the AMCATS head to St. Joseph's (Conn.) at 1:00 p.m.