By Mikael DeSanto
Sports Editor
The St. Bonaventure University women’s basketball team picked up its second conference win of the season this afternoon, defeating the UMass Minutewomen 55-38. The win snapped a five game losing streak, dating back to December 31.
The Bonnies (7-12, 2-5 A10) controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Minutewomen (9-11, 3-4 A10) 35-19 over the course of the game. They also out assisted them 19-10.
They also benefited from scoring nine points off the bench, all provided by sophomore guard Mckenna Maycock. The Minutewomen committed 15 turnovers, which the Bonnies capitalized on with 11 points.
Though the scoring got started quickly, with both teams combining for 11 points in the first two-and-a-half minutes, it also slowed quickly. From the 7:45 mark to the 3:30 mark of the first quarter, only one basket, a layup for the Bonnies, was scored. After some back and forth play, the first quarter ended with the Bonnies up 12-11.
Both teams tried to get off to another quick start in the second, each scoring on their first possessions. However, another lull in the action, this one lasting about three minutes, saw the score at a stand-still. This was broken up when Maycock scored five of her nine points in a 40 second span. The Bonnies controlled a majority of the remainder of the quarter, heading into the half with a 26-18 lead.
Maycock led the Bonnies in scoring at the half with seven points, all scored in the second quarter. Senior guard Alyx Stiff and junior guard Leah McDerment tied for the Minutewomen’s scoring lead at the half with six points.
A flurry of offense marked the start of the second half, as by the 7:48 mark of the third quarter, the score had reached 31-24. But there would not be any more points put up for four minutes, until a pair of Bonnies free throws and a Minutewomen layup broke the stalemate. The teams continued to pressure each other, leading to a 36-28 score entering the fourth quarter.
The Minutewomen continued to fight to stay in the game, but the Bonnies offense could not be denied, scoring 19 points to the Minutewomen’s 10 in the fourth quarter to seal a victory on the road.
Junior guard Mariah Ruff, who had previously scored two points in the last two games, finished with a team-leading 17 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists. Graduate forward Gabby Richmond contributed nine points and seven rebounds, and Maycock tacked on five rebounds and four assists to her nine points.
Stiff and McDerment finished tied for the team lead with 11 points, with Stiff adding four assists and McDerment adding three rebounds and three assists.
The Bonnies next play on Saturday when they welcome the Duquesne Dukes to the Reilly Center at 4 p.m.
desantmj13@bonaventure.edu
