Regis Holds Off Women's Basketball, 47-42

WESTON, MA - In a back and forth second half that saw two ties and four lead changes, where no school saw a lead larger than six, it was the Pride who pulled away from the AMCATS for the 47-42 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win Saturday afternoon at Higgins Court. 

BASICS

• Date: February 15, 2020
• Score: Regis College 47, Anna Maria College, 42
• Records: Regis College (14-10, 8-2 GNAC), Anna Maria College (6-17, 2-7 GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Anna Maria had a strong start when they outscored Regis, 14-8 on 45.8/25.0 shooting splits and held Regis to a shooting percentage of 9.5 percent (2-21) and 15.4 percent from three (2-13). Early in the quarter, the squad opened with a 9-3 run from Amber Wilson (New York, NY) and Sierra Johnson (Brockton, MA) who provided five and four points respectively. 
• However, Regis responded with six quick points to cut the lead to one (9-8) after two Katryna Veasey (Quincy, MA) free throws and a bucket by Pam Gonzalez (Revere, MA). Despite pulling within one, it was the closest the Pride got in the quarter as the 'CATS ended the first with a 5-0 spurt highlighted by a Sienna Johnson (Brockton, MA) and-one conversion and Wilson jumper. 
• Regis had a strong quarter of their own in the second and outscored Anna Maria by a 14-5 margin. The Pride took their first lead (16-14) when they had an 8-0 run to start the quarter from three different Regis student-athletes highlighted by Taylor Iorfino (Monroe, CT) three points and Mackenzie Emery (Standish, ME) and Veasy who had three and two points each. 
• The AMCATS trimmed the Pride lead to one after Sienna Johnson hit a free throw to make it 16-15. From there, Regis went up by five (22-17) after Iorfino continued her strong play with four points and Arie Searcy (Santa Rosa, CA) had a jumper. Anna Maria ended the half with momentum when Wilson hit two free throws and cut the deficit to three (22-19). 
• In the third quarter, each side stepped up their play and both scored 12 points. The squad re-captured the lead (25-24) after a 6-2 run opened the quarter courtesy of Sierra Johnson's layup and four straight points by Sienna Johnson that included the go-ahead basket. However, the Pride notched their largest lead of the game (six) from a 7-0 spurt for a 31-25 lead highlighted by Gonzalez's five points. 
• After Regis went up 34-29 from an Emery three-pointer, Anna Maria cut the Pride lead to three (34-31) going into the fourth from free throws by Wilson and Sienna Johnson. 
• More competitive play continued in the fourth as the 'CATS stormed back and reclaimed the lead (37-35) on a 6-1 run from three different Anna Maria student-athletes (Sienna Johnson, Sierra Johnson, and Gabby Cuevas (West Valley City, UT)). 
• Tied 37-37 with nearly four minutes left (4:12), Searcy knocked down two free throws and gave the Pride a 39-37 lead. Shortly after, Gonzalez corralled an Anna Maria miss for the quick layup to make it 41-37.
• Sienna Johnson answered right back with a mid-range jump shot to make it 41-39. However, Regis continued to add onto their lead when Veasey grabbed her own miss for the putback and 43-39 advantage with 1:27 in the fourth. 
• Coming out of a timeout, Sienna Johnson executed a great after time out play when she made a driving layup to pull within two (43-41). After a Regis turnover with 45 seconds left, Wilson forced a Regis foul and knocked down one of her free throws to make it 43-42.
• Regis called a timeout of their own and generated a foul where Nikki Bitinaitis (Cromwell, CT) knocked down her free throws for a three-point lead (45-42). Toward the end with 11 seconds left, Wilson had a good look for three near the left side but the ball would not fall and Regis ended up securing the win with two free throws.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Wilson led the way for Anna Maria with 15 points. Sienna Johnson and Sierra Johnson rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 and 12 points respectively. 
• For the Pride, Gonzalez paced Regis with 15 points and Iorfino added 11 points of her own. 
• Anna Maria outshot Regis held a shooting advantage from the field, 34.1 compared to the Pride's 21.9. From three-point range, Regis shot 15.2 percent versus Anna Maria's 7.7 percent. 
• Regis nearly doubled the AMCATS in rebounding by a 50-27 margin. 

WHAT'S NEXT

Anna Maria continues their GNAC road trip heading to St. Joseph (CT) on Tuesday, February 18 for a 5 PM tip-off. Regis wraps up their season when they visit Saint Joseph's (ME) on Saturday, February 22 at 1 PM.

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