Third Quarter Surge Lifts Women’s Basketball Over Gordon, 86-69

WENHAM, Mass. – Suffolk women's basketball used a monster third quarter to run past Gordon, 86-69, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Wednesday night at the Bennett Center.  

The win helps the blue-and-gold start CCC play in the win column for the first time in program history and pushes the Rams to 5-0 on the season, the best start for Suffolk since 2003-04. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 84 | Gordon 69
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-0, 1-0 CCC) | Gordon (1-5, 0-1 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gordon was hot out of the gate and poured in four triples, while Suffolk's offense was sluggish from the get-go. The Rams went over five minutes without a bucket to find themselves in a 12-0 hole. Lauren Romito's jump started Suffolk's scoring at the 4:23 mark in the first stanza.  

Romito's layup ignited a blue-and-gold rally that saw the visitors outscore the Fighting Scots 16-3 to hold onto an 18-15 lead after the first 10 minutes. 

The lead exchanged eight times and tied on three occasions in the second quarter that saw Gordon grab a 39-38 edge as the game headed into half time. 

Suffolk surged out of the gates to get the third frame going. The Rams compiled a 17-2 stretch over 4:47 to grab a comfortable 55-41 cushion that forced Gordon into its second timeout of the quarter.  

The blue-and-gold kept its foot on the gas pedal the rest of the way to maintain a double figure margin, 70-56, at the end of 30 minutes.  

Suffolk scored the first four points of the fourth before the playing field evened out the rest of the way. Thankfully, the Rams third quarter scoring frenzy pushed the blue-and-gold to the 84-69 victory.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Romito registered a game-high 22 points on an 8-for-10 showing from the field and 6-for-7 effort at the charity stripe. The graduate student added eight caroms, three blocks, one assist and one steal. 
• Amanda DeAngelis logged a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double with four helpers and a pair of takeaways on her stat line as well. 
• Jordan Moreau contributed 13 points on a 4-for-6 showing from the floor. She pitched in four dimes, three caroms and two steals. 
• Colby Guinta logged 11 points, five handouts and one steal. 
• Claire Berkowitz rounded out the five Rams in double figures with 10 points on a 4-for-9 night that included a 2-for-5 showing from behind-the-arc with two assists and one steal to her credit as well. 
• As a team Suffolk shot 45.9 percent (34-74) from the floor and used an 84.6 connection rate (11-13) from the line to stay in the game. 
• The Rams outrebounded the Fighting Scots, 37-32. 
• Suffolk used Gordon's 22 turnovers and turned them into 24 points. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk starts the year 5-0 for the first time since 2003-04 when it began with an identical record through the first five games of the season. 
• The Rams lifted the lid on their CCC calendar in the win column for the first time in program history. 
• Suffolk moves to 1-2 in CCC debuts. 
• Suffolk met Gordon in its first CCC contest of the year for the first time in program history. 
• The Rams began their CCC schedule on the road for the second time in program history, first since 2021-22. 
• Suffolk moved to 18-12 (0-2 NEWAC, 17-8 GNAC, 1-2 CCC) all-time in its first conference contest of the season. 
• Under Ed Leyden, the Rams sport an 18-11 record in its first league outing of the year. 
• In its conference debut, the blue-and-gold is now 7-6 on the road. 
• The Rams began their league calendar in November for the third time in program history, second straight season. 
• Suffolk pulled the curtain back on its conference calendar in the win column for the first time since 2019-29.
• Suffolk snapped a three-game skid versus Gordon to improve to 7-5 all-time against the Fighting Scots. 
• The Rams defeated Gordon for the first time since Jan. 31, 2022. 
• Suffolk improved to 4-2 versus Gordon on the road.
• DeAngelis notched her fourth double-double of the season, 20th of her collegiate career. 
• Romito recorded career-highs in points (22) and field goals made (8) and matched a personal-best six free throws made.
• Moreau dished out a personal-high four assists and matched a career-best two steals. 
• Berkowitz tallied a career-high in points (10) and field goals made (4) and matched a career-best in 3-point field goals made (2). 
• Olivia Verdile had the first block of her collegiate career. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is back in Boston Saturday, Dec. 2 for a showdown with Roger Williams at 1 p.m.