Kuczynski Sets Career-High in Points, Women's Basketball Survives Overtime Against Southern New Hampshire
WALTHAM, Mass. - Emma Kuczynski set a career-high in scoring as she and Cassie Murphy both scored 20 points as the #3/4 Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (31-1) kept up with the Penmen offense into overtime with the Rams edging out Southern New Hampshire University (17-11) 91-89 to advance into the next round of the NCAA Division II Tournament this evening. The 180 total points by both teams were the most scored points by any matchup in today's Division II women's basketball games.
WHAT HAPPENED
The game started off how the rest of the match would entail, a power behind offensive attack that provided lead changes for both sides. The Rams got out early on an 8-2 lead with two baskets by Kucyznski and Sam Yencha for the Jefferson lead. Abby Wagner converted on an and-one while joining Meghan Gordon on making multiple three pointers to get the Penmen up 21-18 with less than a minute in the first. Haley Meinel put in both free throws while Kuczynski made one more basket as Jefferson went into the second up 22-21.
The second quarter saw eight lead changes, with the Penmen and Rams not letting this round of the tournament pass by either of them. Meinel started if off with a three to begin the second. Southern New Hampshire got ahead off Jess Knight jumper and free throws, alongside a basket by Gordon. The teams would trade baskets back-and-forth, with Emily Keehfuss hitting a three, a Meinel and Emily Spratt jumper, and two Robinson free throws for Jefferson. Wagner and Knight got shots in the net for Penmen, with Ava Winterburn making a jumper and two free throws to get Southern New Hampshire ahead. Yencha got her basket as Spratt got an and-one to have Jefferson go into the half up 41-37.
The Rams and Penmen both shot over 50% in the first half. Jefferson shot 16-of-31 in the first half, while Southern New Hampshire was 13-of-27 during the first 20 minutes.
The Penmen began the third with a 19-8 run that got them out on top 56-49 with 3:18 left in the third quarter. Knight had eight of those points on that stretch, Wagner made a basket while Adriana Timberlake hit a three to get the Penmen up. The Rams finished the third with an 11-0 run to get back on top 60-56 to go into the fourth. Murphy put up six points on that run.
Macy Spinks two shots from beyond the arc helped Southern New Hampshire begin the fourth with an 8-4 run to tie it all at 64-64. Both teams saw the lead go into their favor for a bit of time with the offenses not letting up on their attack. Knight made two free throws to get the game tied at 73-73 with 1:27 to go. After Murphy got the ball and was swarmed by multiple Penmen defenders, she was able to find Robinson near the basket alone. Robinson took the pass and made her first basket of the day to put Jefferson up with 25 seconds to go. After a timeout, Timberlake passed it to Knight, as she was covered by three Ram defenders, who hit her shot and had it all tied once more. Neither team capitalized the last second of the game, pushing the final East Region matchup into overtime.
Jefferson enters overtime for the first time this calendar year and second of the season, with their only other OT game against Bloomsburg on December 9, where the Rams' suffered their only loss 107-97 in triple overtime. Southern New Hampshire enters OT with a 1-1 record this season, with their latest matchup in the extra period being a defeat to The College of Saint Rose 46-43 on February 27.
Wagner got started off with a three for Southern New Hampshire to get out on top early, but Jefferson began a 10-0 run with five different Rams scoring on that stretch. Yencha, Robinson, Kuczynski, and Spratt hit a shot while Murphy made two free throws as the Rams were up 85-78. Jefferson got onto the line as Southern New Hampshire fouled them. The Rams' went 4-6 on the line to keep the distance away from the Penmen. Timberlake hit two three pointers in the final 13 second of the game, but it was not enough as Jefferson defeated Southern New Hampshire for the second straight season in the NCAA Tournament and will now go into the East Region Semifinals.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Emma Kuczynski: 20 points (career-high) on 8-of-12 shooting, 3-4 FT, 2 steals
Cassie Murphy: 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting, 4-5 FT, 5 rebounds
Sam Yencha: 18 points 9-of-15 shooting, 10 rebounds, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Haley Meinel: 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals
UP NEXT
Jefferson will now go to the next round of the NCAA Tournament, playing in the East Region Semifinals tomorrow, March 16 as the Rams will play against #1 seed in the East Region, #12/8 ranked, and host team Bentley University on Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m.
