Southern Connecticut Buries 
Franklin Pierce, 65-44
Owls ride hot first half to commanding 
NE-10 victory

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (January 14, 2006) – Southern Connecticut State University, receiving votes in this week’s USA Today/ESPN Division II poll, opened a 25-point halftime lead and never looked back in posting a commanding 65-44 victory over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball action at Moore Fieldhouse this afternoon.

            Southern Connecticut shot 50.9-percent (27-53) of its shots from the field, including 57.7% (15-26) in the first half, and also buried 5-of-8 (62.5%) three-point attempts. The Owls also harassed Franklin Pierce into ten turnovers in the opening 20-minutes and held the Ravens to 27.3% (6-22) shooting in the stanza. Franklin Pierce finished shooting 31.3% (15-48) from the field, including 1-6 (16.7%) from beyond the arc, for the contest.

            Sophomore Kate Lynch (Rumford, R.I./LaSalle Academy) led Southern with a game-high 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, converting all three free-throw attempts, to go with a game-best six rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Shamika Jackson (Manchester, Conn./East Catholic), a transfer from Boston College, added 13 points (nine first half), also hitting 6-7 from the field, to go with five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Freshman Alexis Allen (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) chipped in eight points off the bench, while senior Anabel Perdomo (Lawrence, Mass./Gov. Dummer Academy) registered seven points, four assists and three boards.

            Freshman Heather Benton (Valley Springs, Calif./St. Mary’s) was the lone Franklin Pierce player to reach double-figures as she netted a season-best 13 points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the field to go with a 5-6 effort at the free-throw line. She also matched three teammates with a team-best three rebounds.

            Senior Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) added nine points for the Ravens (seven second half), two rebounds and two assists, while freshman Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England) chipped in six points, three boards, two assists and two steals.

            Southern Connecticut scored the first 13 points of the contest and led 20-2 after an Allen three-pointer midway through the stanza and never looked back. The Ravens first basket of the opening half came 6:45 into the stanza.

            The Owls came out strong again in the second half, opening a 30-point bulge (44-14) after Lynch converted a conventional three-point play 3:15 into the frame. SCSU’s lead crested at 38 points (60-22) after a Lynch lay-up with 8:51 to play. The Ravens out-scored the hosts 22-5 down the stretch, aided by 13-of-17 (76.5%) of their free throws in the second half.   

Franklin Pierce (10-5, 7-3 NE-10) is back in action on Monday when it hosts the College of Saint Rose at 5:30 p.m. Southern Connecticut (13-2, 8-2 NE-10) visits Southern New Hampshire University on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE