Total Team Effort Boosts Women's Hoops Past Gators 77-53

NEWTON, Mass. (2/19/15) – Behind a total team effort from the Lasers with 11 different scorers and all 12 recording at least one rebound, the Lasell College women's basketball team defeated Pine Manor College 77-53 in non-conference action on Thursday evening inside the Lasell College Athletic Center Gymnasium.

Junior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) netted a game-high 31 points (11-for-18 FG, 3-for-8 3PT, 6-for-6 FT), grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists for the Lasers. Classmate guard Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) added 11 points and two rebounds, while freshman forward Breanna Cashman (Norwich, N.Y.) chipped in with nine points. Junior forward Breanna Williams (Bloomfield, Conn.) led the Lasers in rebounds, grabbing eight from the glass.

Pine Manor was paced by freshman guard Sabrina Vail (Jersey City, N.J.) with 12 points, while classmate forward Erica Jones (Atlanta, Ga.) and junior guard Alexis Lee (Akron, Ohio) each tallied eight points. Senior forward Natasia Franklin (Windsor, Conn.) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, while junior forward Khiyana Isaac (Roxbury, Mass.) and Jones had eight and six boards, respectively.

The Lasers opened the game with 13 straight points after Stopera knocked down back-to-back three pointers 3:03 into the first half. Lasell continued its pressure and broke open the game with its largest lead (31 points) with the score 40-9 with 8:42 left in the opening stanza. Pine Manor was able to close the gap as Franklin and Khiyana netted three layups to make the score 50-17 in favor of the hosts.

Pine Manor finished the opening stanza with a brief 5-0 spurt featured by a three-pointer from Vail and a layup from Franklin to make the score 50-22 going into the break.

The Gators came out in the second half with pressure and outscored the Lasers 31-27 over the second 20 minutes, but Lasell was able to maintain its advantage to close the game 77-53.

Lasell shot 42.6-percent (29-for-68) from the floor, 40-7-percent (11-for-27) from long range and 100.0-percent (8-for-8) from the charity stripe. Pine Manor shot 29.7-percent (22-for-74) from the field, 23.8-percent (5-for-21) from behind the arc and 44.4-percent (4-for-9) from the free throw line.

The Lasers tied their season-high rebounds with 50 total, compared to the Gators' 45. The hosts additionally held a 16-11 margin in second chance points, while Pine Manor tallied 23 of its 53 points from the bench.

Lasell (9-15) travels to Norwich for a crucial Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup with the Cadets on Saturday, February 21 at 1:00 p.m., while Pine Manor (11-9) closes its season with a makeup game at home against Johnson State at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 22.