Balanced Scoring Paces Women’s Basketball in 84-61 Win over Mt. Ida

BOSTON – All five starters for the Rams notched double figures as the Suffolk women's basketball team took down Mount Ida, 84-61, inside Regan Gymnasium Saturday afternoon. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 84, Mount Ida 61
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-2, 2-0 GNAC) | Mt. Ida (4-2, 0-1 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
A tied 4-4 ball game was present 1:45 into the action before Suffolk stormed ahead, outscoring the Mustangs, 23-3 over the final 8:15 of the first frame to take a 27-7 lead. 

The teams traded hoops throughout the second stanza, but Suffolk's 20-point lead was too much for the Mustangs as the Rams headed into the break up 47-23. 

Mt. Ida took control of the third, out playing the hosts, 20-17, but once again the Rams early advantage played a role to keep the blue-and-gold in front, 64-43 heading into the final frame. 

The Mustangs continued to look for the comeback and used sharp shooting from downtown, knocking down three quick treys in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. The Rams kept them visitors there though and cruised to the 84-61 victory. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• The five Suffolk players in double figures were led by Alexis Hackett's and Georgia Bourikas' 17-point days. Hackett shot 7-for-9 from the field and 2-for-3 from behind-the-arc, while Bourikas went 7-for-12 from the floor.
• Jordan Hipwell and Jenni-Rose DiCecco each had 13 points and shot 50 percent (5-10) on the day with Alexandra Nagri's 11 points rounding out the five Rams in double digits.
• Defensively Suffolk won the battle on the glass outrebounding Mt. Ida, 45-24, thanks in large part to Hackett's 14 and Hipwell's 10.
• Hackett and DiCecco each set up five shots apiece with Nagri dishing out four assists.
• Collectively Suffolk shot 57.6 percent (34-59) on the day, 42.9 percent (9-21) from long range and 70.0 percent (7-10) from the charity stripe.
• Mount Ida, who went 33.3 percent (20-60) from the floor, received a game-high 26-point effort from Valerie Martin. Martin did not miss from three-point range, hitting all three of her attempts, while going 7-for-9 at the line and 8-for-19 from the field.

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk remains undefeated all-time versus Mount Ida as the Rams moved to 14-0 in the all-time series.
• The Rams began conference play 2-0 for the first time since beginning the conference slate in 2013-14 with four straight wins.
• The win marks the third straight for Suffolk.
• Hackett notched her fourth double-double of the season in just 19 minutes. She went on to finish the game with 17 points and 14 caroms.
• Hipwell's double-double was the first of her collegiate career as the rookie put up career highs in rebounds (10).
• Ed Leyden used the starting combination of DiCecco, Nagri, Bourikas, Hackett and Hipwell. That starting five, which started its sixth straight game, moved to 5-1 on the season. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk steps away from conference action as it hits the road and visits Fitchburg State Thursday, Dec. 7. Tip-off in the non-conference contest is set for 7 p.m.