Women’s Basketball Erupts For Season-High 91 in Home Triumph Over CCNY

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Powered by four players in double figures, three with 20-point games and two registering double-doubles, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team posted a season-high tally and captured a 91-78 wire-to-wire victory over City College of New York on Friday afternoon to close out 2016.

Destiny Marino (Howard Beach, N.Y./Christ the King) led all scorers with 24 points, Victoria Porcasi (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) and Lauren Quesada (Westbury, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) followed with 21-point, 11-rebound and 20-point, 10-rebound double-doubles, respectively.

The Basics

• Final Score: St. Joseph's 91, CCNY 78
• Records:  St. Joseph's (4-6), CCNY (3-8)
• Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Arena: The Hill Center
• SJC Starters: Marino (G), Simon (G), Porcasi (G), Candelaria (F), Staab (C)

Turning Point

• CCNY pulled within four with two minutes to go, but Destiny Marino and Victoria Porcasi nailed back-to-back dagger trifectas to push the lead back to double digits with one minute to go and the Bears coasted to the finish.

How it Happened

• With the Bears reaching the bonus before the midway point of the first quarter, Destiny Marino went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe and capped an 8-0 Bears run that built a 16-5 advantage. SJC tore apart the CCNY full-court pressure and shot 64 percent in the opening period and led 21-9 at the first break. 
• St. Joseph's continued to operate at a high efficiency with Lauren Quesada adding nine points and six boards off the bench in the second stanza and the Bears ballooned the lead to its largest separation of 19 and led by 16, 43-27, going into the lockers.
• CCNY used a 13-2 outburst in the third to bring the deficit back down to single digits, before seven unanswered later in the frame and a Marino triple just before the final break put the Bears back up 18, 68-50.
• After a Caitlyn Staab three-point play maintained a 16-point advantage, 73-57, CCNY scored 10 straight to pull within striking distance with just under four minutes to play. An Erika Richards layup pulled the Beavers within four, 78-74, at the two-minute mark but they wouldn't get any closer.
• A pair of Porcasi free throws followed by back-to-back triples from Marino and Porcasi powered an 8-0 outburst that pushed the lead to 12, 86-74, with just a minute to play.

For the Bears

• Chasing her 1,000th career point, junior Destiny Marino led all scorers with 24 points, sinking 10-of-14 from the free throw line, pulling down six boards and dishing out five assists. She needs just five more points to reach the milestone.
• Victoria Porcasi registered her second double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds (10 defensive) also handing out four assists. The sophomore shot 6-of-9 from the field and 7-of-9 from the stripe for her third straight 20-point game.
• Freshman Lauren Quesada scored a career high off the bench with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
• Sophomore Caitlyn Staab rounded out four in double figures with a career-high 17 points and a career-high-tying eight rebounds.

Inside the Box Score

• St. Joseph's shot a season-best 52 percent from the field (32-62) and held the Beavers to an opponent season low 29 percent (26-91).
• The Bears nearly doubled up the visitors in paint scoring (54-28) while the Beavers used 29 boards on the offensive glass to outscore SJC, 29-12, in second chance points.

The Bear Facts

• The last time the Bears shot over 50 percent from the field was 94-71 victory over Briarcliffe College on January 23, 2015 at The Hill Center.
• St. Joseph's 91 points is tied for third most on record and follows a 96-point outburst over Purchase College this past January.
• Marino extends her streak scoring in double figures to nine games with her 56th career game logging 10-or-more points and her 14th game tallying 20-or-more points.
• St. Joseph's closes CCNY's lead in the all-time series at 5-4. The teams have exchanged wins over the last five meetings.

Next up for St. Joseph's

The Bears will resume Skyline Conference play on Wednesday, January 4th hosting SUNY College at Old Westbury in the opening game of a doubleheader with the men starting at 5 p.m. Live stats and video with Greg Lenard calling the action will be available on SJCBears.com.