BALTIMORE – The American University women's basketball team clawed their way back into the game in the final quarter, mitigating an 18-point deficit to just four, but it wouldn't be enough to take a win from UMBC on Wednesday night. The Eagles fell, 50-45, to the Retrievers on the road.
Inside the Box Score
- Freshman forward Cecilia Kay once again had a solid performance, finishing with a team-leading 15 points. She stuffed her stat sheet with five rebounds, two assists, a steal, and two blocks.
- On the glass, the Eagles were led by graduate student Ivy Bales. Bales finished with nine rebounds and six points.
- Bailey Garbee was the second highest point scorer for AU, with nine points. The senior guard also had three rebounds and two steals. Both Garbee and Kay went 4-for-7 from the floor.
- The Retrievers had a narrow 32-30 percent advantage in shooting percentage on the night. They outscored AU 14-9 in points off turnovers and held a 30-16 advantage in points scored in the paint.
How It Happened
- The Eagles took an early 7-2 lead early in the first quarter, having shot 3-for-5 in the opening three and a half minutes of the contest.
- The Retrievers fought back though, going on an 11-2 run, and leading 13-9 before a two-point jumper broke the run with one minute remaining in the first.
- In just over a minute in the second frame, UMBC took a 10-point, 21-11, lead. The hosts managed to maintain their lead, taking a 29-19 advantage into the halftime break.
- In the third, the lead extended to as much as 16 throughout the quarter and extended it to a 17-point, 42-25, lead. Neither team was shooting well, but the Retrievers were converting with a slight edge, going 5-for-20 while AU went 3-for-16 in the penultimate period.
- To start the final ten minutes, the Retrievers were suffocating the Eagles on defense, trapping with a deep press that's been giving American problems so far this season. Rescifina and Kay were often double, or triple, teamed throughout the night.
- A three pointer from Elizabeth Archer at the midway point of the final, with 4:56 to go, brought the game to back from 18 to within 11 points, a surmountable challenge.
- A triple from Garbee brought the Eagles within six with 3:16 remaining, and a UMBC turnover was capitalized on by Mary Bolesky who's breakaway layup made it a four-point game with just a minute to play.
- A 20-8 run by the Eagles in the fourth frame had them close, but it wasn't enough to overcome the earlier deficit, and AU fell, 50-45, in Baltimore.
On the Horizon
The Eagles squad will play their final home game of November on Saturday, Nov. 23 against La Salle at 2 p.m. in Bender Arena. Before they head to Puerto Rico to take part in the Puerto Rico Clasico over the Thanksgiving break.
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