By: By Michael L. Damon
Box Score
Brooklyn, N.Y.— The John Jay women's basketball team defetaed Medgar Evers College, 58-57, on Wednesday evening, its second straight road and conference win as the Bloodhounds playoff hopes remain alive.
John Jay, now 5-19 (3-9 CUNYAC), was led by three players who scored in double-figures, including Dominique Grice (North Babylon, NY, North Babylon) with a game-high 24 points, Janina Jurewicz-Johnson (New York, NY, Beacon School) with 16 and Jessica Lirio (Bronx, NY, St. Barnabas) with 11 as the Bloodhounds moved into a tie for eighth place with one game remaining on the schedule.
Jurewicz-Johnson added 10 rebounds for her first career double-double and her 16 points was a career-high. She shot 7-for-13 from the floor.
The game saw 11 lead changes and six ties and neither team led by more than six.
The Bloodhounds led most of the first half and were up 23-17 with 5:42 to go in the opening stanza. Medgar Evers used a 9-2 run to reclaim the lead and they led 26-25 with 1:39 to go before going into halftime up 29-26.
John Jay took the lead for good with 6:04 remaining on a lay-up by Lirio to ignite a 6-0 run that eventually gave the Bloodhounds a 54-49 lead with 3:50 remaining capped on a lay-up by Grice.
But the hosts Cougars battled back and scored four straight points and were within one point of the lead with 1:39 to go.
Both teams traded baskets for the next minute. Grice, who was 8-for-11 from the free throw line, connected on four straight over the next two possessions to keep the Bloodhounds up by a point and John Jay led 58-55 with twenty-three second remaining.
Medgar Evers' Shauntelle Nelson, who was one of two Cougar players to record a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds (Shakimba Pierre with 16 points and 17 rebounds was the other), knocked down a pair from the line to get Medgar Evers back to within a point and the score was 58-57 with 11 seconds remaining.
A turnover by John Jay, followed by a turnover by Medgar Evers gave the Bloodhounds the ball with one second remaining. After being fouled, John Jay failed to connect from the foul line, but time expired on the rebound, giving John Jay their second straight conference win on the road.
John Jay outscored Medgar Evers 20-6 on points in the paint, while the Cougars held a 16-0 advantage in points off the bench as well as a 20-10 difference in points off turnovers.
John Jay returns to action on Fri. Feb. 13 at Hunter at 5 p.m.
