Women’s Basketball Holds Off Norwich, 56-48, for 10th Straight Win

BOSTON – The Suffolk women's basketball team kept its composure and held Norwich team that heated up late in the fourth to take a 56-48 GNAC win Thursday night inside Regan Gymnasium.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 56, Norwich 48
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-2, 5-0 GNAC) | Norwich (5-8, 2-4 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
After four lead changes in the fourth quarter, Mya Blazejowski sunk a triple on a feed from Jenni-Rose DiCecco to give the Rams a 14-12 edge after the first 10 minutes. 

Suffolk built on its cushion in the second stanza and used a 12 unanswered points to turned it into a 29-15 blue-and-gold contest with 3:33 minutes remaining in the first half. 

The Cadets rallied out of a timeout and trimmed the margin to seven on a pair of freebies from Shyann Josler with just over a minute on the clock in the frame. Alexis Hackett secured a double figure advantage for the hosts, however, as the sophomore buried a trey at the 28 second mark to send the Rams into the locker room up, 34-24. 

Norwich chipped away and trimmed the margin to six, 34-29, in the early minutes of the third. The comeback was shortlived as the Rams rebuilt a double figure distance, 42-29, behind an 8-0 run. The Cadets sandwiched a pair of points around an Alexandra Nagri layup over the remaining 3:22 of the third as the Rams remained in front, 44-34, after three complete quarters. 

Down the stretch, the Cadets took advantage of a sluggish Suffolk squad and used a 12-0 spurt to make things interesting with a 51-48 game with 2:07 on the clock in the floor. 

Georgia Bourikas broke the scoring lull for the Rams with a DiCecco and Hipwell sealing the56-48 win for the Rams at the line. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• DiCecco paved the way for the Rams with 18 points to go with three rebounds and a pair of assists and steals.
• Bourikas produced double figures as well with 13 and was one rebound shy of a double-double, grabbing nine, including seven on the defensive end. The senior added three dimes, two blocks and one steal as well.
• Hipwell anchored Suffolk's 48-team rebound effort with 12 of her own, while Hackett chipped in seven. The sophomore also had four helpers, four blcoks and one steal on her stat line.
• Marissa Gudauskas provided seven points and five boards off the bench.
• Suffolk held the upper hand the glass, outrebounding Norwich, 48-42.
• The Rams also took advantage of the fast break, scoring eight points in transition. 

NOTEWORTHY

• The Rams ran their win streak to 10 consecutive contests, which marks the most victories in a row for Suffolk since putting 12 triumphs together in the 2000-01 season.
• Suffolk improved to 21-9 all-time versus Norwich.
• Hipwell set a new career-high rebounds with 12. The freshman grabbed double figures boards for the fourth time this season.  
• DiCecco contributed double figures for the 11th time this season.
• Bourikas also had her 11th double digit scoring output with the senior racking up double figures for the third consecutive contest.
• Ed Leyden started Jenni-Rose DiCecco, Alexandra Nagri, Georgia Bourikas, Alexis Hackett and Jordan Hipwell for the 13th consecutive contest. That lineup moved to 12-1 on the season. 

POST-GAME PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk brings its 10-game win streak to Regis Saturday, Jan. 20 for a 1 p.m. tip-off.