AMCATS Topped by Blue Jays, 69-56

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Anna Maria College Women's Basketball team traveled to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Saturday afternoon and fell by a final score of 69-56 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action. The loss drops the AMCATS to 5-18 overall and 2-13 in conference play while the Blue Jays improve to 9-13 on the season and 3-10 in the GNAC.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Senior Christina Gauvin (Dudley, Mass.) led the AMCATS with 19 points and eight rebounds to go along with a game high six steals. Deja Taitt (Cambia Heights, N.Y.) followed that lead with 18 points, eight rebounds, three steals and a team high three assists. Freshman Leah Wright (Summerville, S.C.) came off the bench with six points.

Blue Jay's, Kayla Guest led all scorers with 24 points to go along with nine rebounds en route to the victory. Senior Carlee Putnam posted a double-double on the day with 23 points and 13 rebounds to go along with two steals and two blocks. Junior guard, Rajeen Mayo rounded out double digit scoring with 17 points.

USJ shot 41.5% from the field (22-for-53) while the AMCATS shot just 28% (21-of-75). The home team outshot the visitors from beyond the arc 33.3% (4-of-12) to 16.7% (4-of-24) and from the free-throw line 72.4% to 43.5%. Rebounding was tights, but the Blue Jays took down 50 boards to the AMCATS 46.

The AMCATS were able to cause USJ to make 20 turnovers and converted those errors in 18 points. The home team forced 14 AMCAT turnovers and earned just eight points off of those mistakes.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Blue Jays never trailed in the 69-56 victory on Saturday afternoon. Both teams struggled to get things going in the opening quarter as neither team shot over 25.0 percent over the first 10 minutes and USJ held a slight 10-8 lead at the first intermission.

Putnam and Mayo took over in the second quarter to separate the hosts from the AMCATS. A 6-0 spurt all coming from Mayo to open the second period built the Blue Jays lead to 16-8 with just under eight minutes left before halftime. Anna Maria would cut it back to five (20-15) after a three ball from Gauvin at the 4:05 mark, but the Blue Jays would respond and a good triple by Putnam on USJ's next trip down the floor ignited a 12-2 USJ run to close the half as the Blue and Gold took a 32-17 advantage into the break.

The third quarter proved to be a back and forth affair and the Blue Jays maintained a steady lead, responding to any AMCAT threat to dip into their lead. The Blue Jays would build their largest lead of the game, 52-33, with just under two minutes left in the quarter following a lay-in by Putnam, however Anna Maria would close the gap to 54-38 heading into the final period of play.

The visitors made one final push over the opening half of the final quarter to try and crawl back into the contest. They would get it within 10 (57-47) after a pair of free throws from senior Deja Taitt with 5:43 left in regulation, but four straight points from Mayo would give the hosts back a comfortable lead. Anna Maria once again got the score within 10 (62-52) with three minutes left, but USJ responded once again and a huge lay-in by Guest swung the momentum back to the Blue Jays on the next trip down the floor as USJ would go on for the 69-56 victory.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The AMCATS travel to Trinity College on Tuesday, Feb. 14 for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off while the Blue Jays take on Albertus Magnus in GNAC action on the same day at 7:00 p.m.