USMMA Distances From Women’s Basketball in Skyline Race

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — In a key Skyline Conference matchup to move into playoff position, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team lost ground to the United States Merchant Marine Academy falling 57-40 on Thursday evening. Sophomore Victoria Porcasi (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) led paced the Bears for the sixth straight game with 13 points and junior Destiny Marino (Howard Beach, N.Y./Christ the King) added 10 points. 

The Basics

• Final Score: USMMA 57, St. Joseph's 40
• Records: USMMA (10-8, 6-7) St. Joseph's (6-13, 4-8)
• Location: King's Point, N.Y.
• Arena:  Liebertz Gym
• SJC Starters: Marino (G), Alioto (G), Porcasi (G), Quesada (F), Candelaria (F)

Turning Point

• The Mariners held the Bears to just one field goal in the second quarter outscoring SJC 18-6 in the period to take control of the contest.

How it Happened

• A Victoria Porcasi triple to open the scoring one minute in gave the Bears their first lead before USMMA scored six straight and never trailed again. The Bears kept them within reach in the period as they never trailed by more than four and were behind 18-14 at the first break.
• The Bears were held without a field goal for the second quarter until an Alyssa Alioto jumper ended the drought with 27 ticks before the intermission as St. Joseph's finished 1-for-14 from the field and found themselves behind 36-20 headed into the lockers.
• St. Joseph's fell behind by as many as 22 in the third, but scored the final seven points of the period to win the quarter and cut into the USMMA lead, trailing 44-29 at the final break.
• The Mariners maintained their double-digit separation in the fourth shooting 5-for-11 and knocking down three three-pointers to sail to victory.

For the Bears

• Sophomore Victoria Porcasi led SJC in scoring for the sixth straight game totaling 13 points with three three-pointers, four rebounds, an assist, steal and block.
• Destiny Marino finished in double figures for the 16th game this season logging 10 points, with five rebounds, and a trio of thefts.
• Freshman Lauren Quesada added eight points, six rebounds, and three steals, sharing the team lead in the latter two categories.
• Senior Kristen Candelaria contributed four points, six rebounds, and three rejections.

Inside the Box Score

• Both teams scored a combined 97 points, the lowest point total all season. When both teams met earlier this season, the squads combined for just 99 points.
• SJC struggled to find the range connecting on just 22 percent (13-58) while USMMA hit on 38 percent (23-60) of their attempts. The Bears matched a season low handing out just three assists on 13 made field goals. 
• The Mariners held a commanding 57-30 edge on the boards.
• St. Joseph's committed eight fewer turnovers (27-19) but USMMA scored 11 more points off Bears miscues (25-14).
• Kelsey Hoffmann led USMMA with a near double-double of 18 points and nine rebounds, the only Mariner in double figures.

The Bear Facts

• The Bears now fall a game-and-a-half behind USMMA for the sixth-and-final post-season spot. With USMMA sweeping the season series and holding the tiebreaker, St. Joseph's will need to get to at least seven league wins to sail by the Mariners.
• USMMA now leads 3-1 in the series that laid dormant since the 2002-03 series.

Next up for St. Joseph's

The Bears (6-13, 4-8) return home to host Farmingdale State (11-8, 9-4) on Saturday in the opening game of an Alumni and Family Day doubleheader at The Hill Center. In addition, the Bears will join hundreds of schools nationwide in wearing pink as part of the Play4Kay initiative to join the fight against all women's cancers.