PHILADELPHIA – The #16/10 Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (24-3, 15-1 CACC) came back from a 10-point halftime deficit and defeated visiting Goldey-Beacom (10-16, 7-9 CACC), 70-52, and secured the number one overall seed for next week's CACC Tournament in the process on Wednesday night.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams went back and forth in the opening quarter. There were three ties and it was a one-possession game through the first eight minutes. With the Rams leading 12-11, the Lightning finished the period with a 5-0 stretch to take a 16-12 advantage into the second.
 
GBC carried the momentum into the second quarter, recording the first four points to up the margin to eight (20-12) with 8:18 on the clock. Jefferson answered with a 9-0 run to go ahead by one (21-20) at the 4:08 mark. However, the Rams went cold again and the Lightning closed the half with 11 straight points for a 31-21 lead at the intermission. Jefferson struggled in the first half, shooting just 26.7% from the field (8-of-30).
 
The Rams came out strong in the third, scoring 12 of the first 15 points to cut the deficit to one (34-33). After a pair of Lightning free throws made the score 36-33, Jefferson tallied eight unanswered to close the frame and lead 41-36 going into the fourth. The Rams outscored GBC, 20-5, in the third quarter, holding the Lightning to just 1-of-10 shooting.
 
The difference was five (43-38) early in the final stanza when Jefferson poured in six in a row to up its cushion to 11 (49-38) with 7:59 to go. GBC was within nine (54-45) at the 6:14 mark when the Rams pulled away for good with a 13-0 surge, making it 67-45 with 2:33 remaining. Haley Meinel led the way with six points. After trailing by 10 at halftime, Jefferson outscored GBC, 49-21, in the second half.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Haley Meinel: 20 points, 7 steals, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Cassie Murphy: 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block
Morgan Robinson: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals
Emma Kuczynski: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Sam Yencha: 6 points on 3-of-5 shooting, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
 
JEFFERSON AS A TEAM
FG: 28-of-66 (42.4%)
3PT: 4-of-9 (44.4%)
FT: 10-of-14 (71.4%)
 
NOTES
- The Rams shot 75.0% (12-of-16) in the fourth quarter.
- Morgan Robinson became the fourth player in program history to reach 500 career assists.
- Jefferson tied its season-long win streak with seven straight victories.
 
CACC PLAYOFF PICTURE
With the win, the Rams locked up the CACC South Division regular season title and the number one overall seed for next week's CACC Tournament. Jefferson also knows its opponent for the quarterfinals as it will host Caldwell, the North Division's fourth seed, on February 28^th.
 
UP NEXT
The Rams conclude the regular season at home against Holy Family on Saturday, February 25^th at 2 p.m.