Women’s Basketball Snaps Losing Streak with a 87-78 Win Over Dean on Senior Day

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Basketball team hosted Dean College for a conference game and their annual Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 88 | Dean College 78
Records: Blazers 7-16, 3-7 (GNAC) | Bulldogs 7-16, 2-8 (GNAC)

PRIOR TO THE GAME

The Elms College Women's Basketball team hosted their annual Senior Day, honoring their three seniors; forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.), guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.), and guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.).

HOW IT HAPPENED

The conference matchup would start with strong defensive showings from both teams, holding the other scoreless for the opening three minutes of play. During this stretch, the Blazers would see Graham and Uribe each record a steal. The Bulldogs would end the scoreless streak by making a three-point shot. Graham would make a free throw, but Dean would increase their lead, but not before first year guard Sanaii Diaz (Worcester, Mass.) would make a pass to first year guard Malinna Figueroa (Waterbury, Conn.) for a three-point shot, followed by a block and a layup by sophomore forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.), to take a one-point lead. The two teams would then battle for the lead, with Figueroa and junior forward Tatiana Pereira (Providence, R.I.) each recording a steal, a tip-in from Turco, and a pair of free throws from Pereira to keep the home team in the lead. In the closing minutes of the opening quarter, the Elms offense would look to continue to keep control of the game when Pereira would connect a pass to an open sophomore guard Gabby Wasiewicz (Worcester, Mass.) for a three-point shot, along with two steals by Turco and Pereira. The Bulldogs would add four free throws to their side of the scoreboard, but the Blazers would keep the lead, 13-11, going into the second quarter. The next quarter would begin by the two intrastate foes battling for possession early, with Dean scoring first, but Elms would quickly respond with Turco making a layup, after receiving a pass from Graham, drawing a foul and would complete the three-point play. As the quarter would continue, the two teams would continue to trade possession with Diaz, Turco, and Pereira would each add a steal, along with free throws by Pereira and Graham, until Diaz would connect a pass to Turco for a layup. The opposing team would respond with a layup of their own, but the Blazers would continue to keep control of the first half with the assistance of Uribe adding four free throws and four layups, a steal by first year guard Aniah Glover (West Haven, Conn.), and first year forward Devynn Watford (Billerica, Mass.) recording a layup and and a block, going into the halftime break with a 35-31 lead.

The third quarter would begin with the Bulldogs scoring first, but Diaz would connect a pass to an open LeBel for a three-point shot, followed by Uribe making a pair of free throws and a block by Turco. The two conference opponents would then return to exchanging possession until Dean would draw a foul on a three-point shot attempt and would make all three shots. Watford would make a layup, followed by a Pereira jump shot and a three-point shot by Figueroa, but the Bulldogs would continue to nip at the Blazers heels. But as the third quarter would continue, Dean would take the lead after making a layup and a quick three-point shot, but Elms would continue to keep themselves within arms reach and would regain the lead with help from Figueroa hitting a jump shot and a three-point shot, along with Diaz adding a steal that would lead to a layup by Uribe, followed by another layup from Uribe and a second LeBel three-pointer. As the quarter needed its end, Uribe would make a layup and a tip-in by Diaz, but the Bulldogs would take the lead, 65-63, going into the fourth quarter over the Blazers. The fourth quarter would begin by Glover making a jump shot, followed by a layup from Uribe and another block by Turco, but Dean would continue to hold the lead. Then shortly thereafter, Elms would see a tip-in from Turco, followed by Diaz recording a breakaway steal to score a layup. Turco would make a steal and Figueroa would then make a layup to regain the lead for the home side. The two teams would then go back and forth, with the Bulldogs tying the contest and the Blazers earning a short-lived lead. During this span, Turco would make back-to-back layups and Figueroa would make a three-point shot to take back the lead, 80-76. As the clock began to wind down towards the final minutes of play, Elms would continue to nudge their way through the opposition's defense with Turco adding another layup, followed by a steal by Glover. Dean would try to regain some late momentum, but the Blazers would continue to stretch their lead, with the assistance of seven successful free throws by Turco, Diaz, and Figueroa, and they would be able to defeat the Bulldogs 88-78 to snap a four game losing streak.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Uribe - 22 points, 14 rebounds, a steal, and an assist.

• Turco - 20 points, eight rebounds, three steals, three blocks, and two assists.

• Figueroa - 17 points, three assists, two rebounds, and a steal/

• Diaz - 12 rebounds, 11 assists, six points, and four steals.

• LeBel - six points.

• Pereira - five points, three steals, two rebounds, and two assists.

• Watford - four points, three rebounds, a block, and an assist.

• Graham - three points, a rebound, a steal, and an assist.

• Wasiewicz - three points.

• Glover - two points, two rebounds, and two steals.

• Andrade -  two rebounds.

• McKoy - a rebound.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will host Rivier University in their final home contest regular season for their annual Cancer Awareness Game in a conference matchup on Tuesday, February 17th at 7 pm.

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