Comeback Bid Falls Short For Women's Basketball Against Mount Saint Vincent

RIVERDALE, N.Y. —  Kelly O'Donnell (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) scored 18 points in the final 10 minutes and the Bears whittled a 19-point, fourth-quarter deficit down to seven, but the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team suffered a 68-59 road loss to the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Skyline Conference play on Thursday evening.

How it Happened

The Dolphins used a 10-0 run in the 1st to build a double-digit lead before Jamie Provino's (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) triple sent the Bears into the first break down 14-7.

Back-to-back trifectas from Grace Kennedy (Maspeth, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) helped jump start a 10-3 run that pulled the Bears within two, 19-17, at the midway point of the second stanza before the Dolphins closed out the half on an 11-2 spurt to win back the frame and extend their lead to 30-19 at the half.

The hosts shot 54 percent in the third and went to the free throw line 12 times against SJC's lone attempt and they ballooned the lead to 51-34 headed into the final period.

After falling behind by 19 early in the fourth, the Bears pulled themselves within striking distance with O'Donnell catching fire. She scored 10 points in a span of two minutes and finished with 13 points over a 16-4 run that cut the deficit to seven, 57-50, with five minutes to play. But the comeback bid would stall and the Dolphins reestablished a double-digit lead before taking the nine-point victory.

For the Bears

• O'Donnell finished with a game-high 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds with four assists for her eighth double-double of the season and 40th of her career.
• Emma Kiley (Whitestone, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) added 15 points and five boards with two assists.
• Provino filled the stat line with eight points, seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
• Kennedy and Alexis Breen (Union Beach, N.J./Keyport) chipped in six points each with Kennedy grabbing six boards and Breen handing out three assists.

Next Up

The Bears return home to host Purchase College on Saturday, January 22, in the first of back-to-back contests against the Panthers. Tip-off from The Hill Center is scheduled for 3 pm in the second game of a doubleheader with the men. Spectators are not allowed but live stats and video will be available at SJCBears.com/live.