By: Michael L. Damon
mdamon@jjay.cuny.edu
(212) 237-8322
Box Score Box Score
New York, N.Y.— In a game that saw twenty lead changes, fourteen ties and a combined seventy-three turnovers, the Bloodhounds ended up on the short end of a one-point decision as the John Jay women's basketball team was defeated by New Jersey City University (NJCU) 74-73 in a contest at the Doghouse on Wednesday evening.
The Bloodhounds were led by
Jessica Lirio with 25 points and five steals, while
Dominique Grice added 17 points, seven steals and seven assists.
NJCU was led by Carolina Garcia with 19 points, while Alnisa Hernaiz had 14 points and a game-high 16 boards.
Neither team led by more than eight in the contest, and it was the Bloodhounds who were up by that margin with 8:23 remaining. The Bloodhounds trailed 52-50 with 10:54 to go in the contest before exploding on a 10-0 run to go up 60-52 and appear in control.
The visiting Gothic Knights went on a 9-0 run of its own to retake the lead with just over six minutes remaining as NJCU led 61-60 with 6:02 to play.
The contest tied six times over the final six minutes and neither team led by more than one possession the rest of the way.
NJCU tied the score for the final time with 1:25 remaining on a pair of free throws by Maxine Kaminski that pulled the Gothic Knights even at 71-71.
The Bloodhounds had several chances to go back up, but three field goal attempts (the latter two after offensive rebounds) failed to drop before John Jay turned the ball over with just under a minute to play.
NJCU failed to capitalize on the Bloodhound miscue and committed a turnover themselves with forty-five seconds remaining.
John Jay committed another turnover on the ensuing possession with twenty-seven seconds left before Garcia connected on a lay-up with just over twenty ticks to go.
A turnover down the other end, for the fourth consecutive possession, with fourteen seconds left and the shot clock turned off, put the Gothic Knights in control. NJCU's Nidia Carmona connected on one-of-two from the free-throw line with thirteen seconds left to give them a three-point lead.
Shantel Rodriguez knocked in a lay-up with five seconds left to get the Bloodhounds within a point. But John Jay failed to commit a foul to stop the clock as Hernaiz tossed a three point shot to kill the clock.
Fifty-four of the games points were scored off turnovers as John Jay scored 28, while NJCU capitalized with 26.
John Jay returns to action on Sat. Dec. 11 for the opening round of the Regis College tournament at 5 p.m.
