Ayanna Edwards handles the basketball in the CUNYAC Semi-finals vs. Baruch
John Wagoner
59
Baruch Baruch 16-11;10-4CUNYAC
62
Winner JOHNJAYW JOHNJAYW 19-7;12-2 CUNYAC
Baruch Baruch
16-11;10-4CUNYAC
59
Final
62
JOHNJAYW JOHNJAYW
19-7;12-2 CUNYAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Baruch Baruch 17 6 14 22 59
JOHNJAYW JOHNJAYW 16 17 13 16 62

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | John Jay Sports Information

CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND... No. 2 Seed Women's Basketball Outlasts No. 3 Seed Baruch, 62-59; Advancing To Third Straight CUNYAC Championship Game

New York, NY - In front of a boisterous contingent at The Doghouse on Tuesday evening, the No. 2 seeded John Jay women's basketball team outlasted the No. 3 seed, the Baruch College Bearcats, 62-59, to advance to their third straight CUNYAC championship game. 
 

 
The Bloodhounds (19-7; 12-2 CUNYAC) will square off against the No. 1 seed, the Brooklyn College Bulldogs, who withstood a surging Hunter College Hawks team, 65-59, in the other semifinal contest. 
 

 
Friday's title game marks the fifth time the Bloodhounds will be playing for the CUNYAC crown and will be looking for the program's second time and first since 1992. The Bulldogs will be vying for their fourth-straight title and fifth in the last six seasons as these two teams will be pitted against one another for the third straight season. 
 
With the win, John Jay set a new program-record for single-season wins with tonight being their 19th overall win, surpassing the previous mark of 18, set by three teams, including the 2022-23 squad coached by head coach Lynda Day. 
 
Three Bloodhounds had double-digit scoring nights, led by Kamryn Hammond, who poured in a game-high 19 points. Additionally, four players had double-figure rebounding performances. 
 
Hammond concluded the night with her 11th career double-double and ninth of the season, as the graduate guard racked up 12 rebounds while also distributing a team-best five assists in 37 minutes of play. 
 
Ayanna Edwards continued her torrid scoring stretch as the junior floor general netted 13 points on 6 of 10 shooting. The third-year point guard filled up the stat sheet, added three steals, two rebounds, two assists, and a block in 28 minutes of work. 
 
Tiffany Bogle was the third John Jay player to net double-figures, as she finished with ten points in 36 minutes. Hannah Ruberto matched Hammond with a team-high 12 rebounds, while the graduate transfer forward sank four crucial free throws that put the Bloodhounds in a position to advance to the title game. 
 
Ashley Zeolla and three-time CUNYAC Rookie of the Week Michaela Lattimore each grabbed ten rebounds in the victory. 
 
Baruch (16-11; 10-4 CUNYAC) also had three players reach double-figures, led by Mia Castillo, who poured in a team-high 19 points despite being held to just 6 of 26 from the field. Castillo, Division III's leading scorer at 27.9 points per game, finished the contest with a team quadruple-double, as she grabbed nine rebounds, dished out eight assists, swiped six steals while adding four blocks. 
 
D'Andre McRae registered a double-double, scoring 16 points on an efficient 6 of 8 shooting display while grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds in playing the full forty minutes. 
 
Madison Thorton-Lewis was the third Bearcat in double-figures as she finished with 11 points despite being held to a 4 of 16 shooting display and 3 of 14 from three-point range. 
 
John Jay opened the contest on a 10-4 run with Bogle and Edwards combining to score eight of the first ten points while limiting the visitors to a 2 of 8 start from the field. 
 
Baruch responded with an 11-4 run of their own in taking a 15-14 advantage following a three-pointer from Thorton-Lewis off the feed from Elissa Leung with 1:18 left in the quarter. 
 
The Bearcats hit on 4 of 8 with Thorton-Lewis scoring six of the 11 points during the run. McRae banked in a layup with 13 ticks remaining as Baruch held a 17-16 edge after the first quarter of action. 
 
Baruch took their largest lead of the contest, 22-18, following a jumper by Castillo at the 8:13 mark. A quick 7-0 run by the Bloodhounds helped the No. 2 seed regain the lead, 25-22, as Lattimore powered in a layup off the feed from Edwards. 
 
Both teams suffered a dry shooting spell over the next two minutes of the stanza before Hammond banked in a left-handed layup at the 2:33 mark as John Jay upped their lead to 27-23. Overall, the Bloodhounds concluded the frame on a 6-0 spurt as Hammond connected on a pair of free-throws in taking a 33-23 halftime lead. 
 
During the second quarter, the stifling Bloodhounds defense limited the chances by the Bearcats, as they were held to just 2 of 14 from the field (14.3 percent) and just 1 of 6 from three-point range (16.7 percent). 
 
Leung kicked off the scoring in the second half with a jumper at the 8:22 before the Bloodhounds sparked a 7-3 run, capped by a Hammond three-pointer at the 4:38 mark, which made it 40-26. John Jay closed out the quarter scoring 11 of the final 17 points, as Hammond made the backend of a two-shot foul, increasing the lead to 46-37. 
 
Baruch mounted their comeback, outscoring John Jay, 16-10, to cut the deficit down to 56-53 with 25 seconds left to play in regulation as Thorton-Lewis buried the mid-range jumper. 
 
Head Coach Lynda Day called a timeout to advance the ball. With 18 seconds remaining, Precious Mitchell fouled Ruberto. The graduate forward calmly sank the two free-throws that pushed the lead to five, 58-53. 
 
Off the inbound pass, Castillo connected on a three-pointer in the corner, in front of her bench, as Baruch trailed by two, 58-56. On the ensuing possession, Angela Bacarella fouled Natalie Simonds with 11 seconds left. 
 
The second-year guard hit both of her attempts from the line, increasing the lead to 60-56. Castillo once again kept the Bearcats in the contest, hitting a second trifecta with eight seconds, as John Jay held a 60-59 lead.
 
The Bloodhounds burned their third thirty second timeout of the contest, advancing the ball. Castillo was called for the foul on Hammond, as she fouled out of the contest. Hammond hit both attempts. A last second three-pointer by Leung was off the mark, sending John Jay to the finals for the third straight year. 
 
For the game, the Bloodhounds corralled 58 rebounds to Baruch's 40. The Bloodhounds grabbed 40 defensive rebounds while connecting on 85.7 from the free-throw line.

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