Two Double-Doubles Lift Women's Basketball to Season Sweep of Farmingdale

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — A pair of double-double performances led the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team (16-8, 12-5 Skyline) to sweep the season series over Farmingdale State College (7-16, 7-9 Skyline), winning on the road, 67-59. The Bears have now won three-straight contests and four of their last five.

Kelly O'Donnell (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) led four Bears in double-digit scoring with 20 points, along with 16 rebounds and five assists. Co-captain Lauren Quesada (Westbury, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) also recorded a double-double with 13 points, 15 boards, and three assists.

How It Happened
The first quarter saw some back-and-forth play in the opening seven minutes, featuring two ties and two lead changes. The Bears swiftly took control, however, going on a 10-2 tear in the last 2:43 of the frame to take an 18-7 advantage into the second quarter. O'Donnell led all scorers in the first with 10 points.

The Rams were aggressive on offense from the outset of the second quarter, opening the period on a 7-2 run to close the deficit. The Rams' Nia Miller scored 10 points in the frame, leading Farmingdale to outscore the Bears by seven points in the second. Still, SJC held onto a narrow, four-point cushion at halftime (32-28).

Quarter number three opened up with Farmingdale cut the lead to two before St. Joseph's embarked on a 7-2 run, including a three-pointer and a pair of free throws from Jamie Provino (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison). Both teams went bucket-for-bucket until Miller finished two straight layups to cut the score to just 43-40 with just around four minutes to play, but the Bears outscored FSC 5-2 to finish the third carrying a 48-42 lead into the fourth.

SJC started off hot in the final frame with an 8-0 run to build their largest lead of the game at 14 points (56-42). However, the Rams answered with a 16-4 spurt over four minutes, cutting the Bears' lead to 60-58 with 2:37 left in regulation. The navy and white held the Rams to just one point in the final minutes while Provino knocked down the dagger three-pointer with 30 seconds to play.

For the Bears

• O'Donnell was active on defense as well with two blocks and a steal on top of her 20 points, 16 boards, and five assists.
• Quesada shot an efficient 6-of-10 from the floor leading to 13 points (15 rebounds).
• Provino knocked down four trifectas en route to 14 points, her seventh game of the season with four-plus three-point field goals.
• Caitlyn Staab (Lynbrook, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) added 13 points, eight boards, and two assists in the victory.

Support the Bears in the Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge

During the month of February, the Bears will join teams around the country participating in the Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge. Teams are securing pledges and gifts for every free throw made during games in the month of February.

Support the Bears in the Free Throw Challenge benefitting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund by making your pledge today at www.SJCBears.com/Play4Kay. Through two games played in February, Bears have made 36 free throws and have at least three more games remaining.

Next Up for the Bears
The Bears final regular season game will be a basketball doubleheader at home against third-place College at Old Westbury (18-4, 11-4 Skyline) on Saturday (Feb. 16). Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. with live stats and video available at SJCBears.com.