Big Fourth Quarter Pushes Women’s Basketball Past SJC Long Island in League Opener

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Facing a 12-point second-half deficit, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team outscored sibling rivals St. Joseph's College (Long Island) 24-10 in the fourth quarter to take a 72-66 triumph in both team's Skyline Conference opener on Thursday evening. Junior Destiny Marino led four Bears in double figures with 19 points while freshman Lauren Quesada recorded her second straight double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The Basics

• Final Score: SJC Brooklyn 72, SJC Long Island 66
• Records:  SJC Brooklyn (2-3, 1-0), SJC Long Island (1-3, 0-1)
• Location: Patchogue, N.Y.
• Arena: Danzi Center
• SJC Starters: O'Neill (G), Simon (G), Porcasi (G), Candelaria (F), Staab (C)

Turning Point

• A 22-5 Bears run spanning the third and fourth quarters gave Brooklyn a 64-59 lead which they wouldn't relinquish. Long Island pulled within one with 1:30 to play before back-to-back and-ones from Lauren Quesada and Victoria Porcasi solidified the Bears victory.

How it Happened

• Neither team could build more than a five-point cushion over a first half that featured seven ties and eight lead changes, but the hosts clung to a 34-32 lead at the intermission.
• The Golden Eagles opened the third quarter with six quick points and they later extended their lead to 12 on two different occasions.
• Facing their largest deficit of the game, the Bears closed the third period outscoring the hosts 6-2, powered by four quick points from Quesada and Brooklyn faced a 56-48 deficit entering the final frame.
• Quesada continued to wield the hot hand and scored another layup to open the fourth setting the stage for a 10-point frame to lead a 24-10 outburst for the Bears in the quarter.
• Trailing by five after an Eagle layup, a 12-2 spurt capped by a pair of Catherine Drago layups put the Bears on top by five with 4:37 to play.
• A Quesada layup later pushed the Bears lead to six before five unanswered from the Eagles brought a one-point ball game. But Quesada's and-one followed by Victoria Porcasi's and-one with 26 ticks left squashed any Eagle comeback hopes.

For the Bears

• Coming in as a reserve, junior Destiny Marino led Bears offense with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting with seven boards.
• Freshman Lauren Quesada recorded her second double-double in as many games with 17 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Ten of her points came in the fourth quarter.
• After missing the last game due to injury, sophomore Victoria Porcasi matched a season-high with 12 points and five boards, seeing 37 minutes of action.
• Sophomore Caitlyn Staab chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds, and two rejections.

Inside the Box Score

• After a lackluster shooting night over the first three quarters, the Bears shot 53 percent (9-17) in the fourth quarter and finished 36 percent (26-73) for the contest. The Eagles held a slight edge shooting finishing at 39 percent (22-56).
• More than half of both squads points came inside the paint, Brooklyn holding a 42-32 lead in paint scoring.
• The Bears bench outscored the Golden Eagles 41-9. Andrea Iavarone carried the hosts with 32 points and 11 rebounds.
• Brooklyn forced 20 Long Island turnovers and converted them into 17 points, while Long Island managed just eight points on 13 Bears miscues.

The Bear Facts

• Brooklyn also rallied in the fourth quarter in the last meeting against Long Island to take a 62-61 victory. Victoria Porcasi sealed the win last January with a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left.
• The Bears extend their winning streak to five over their sibling rivals, closing the gap in the all-time series to 14-10.

Next up for St. Joseph's

Riding their first league win of the season, the Bears return to The Hill Center for their home opener hosting the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Saturday, December 3. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m. with live stats and video on SJCBears.com with Michael Kerr calling the action.