New York, NY - The John Jay women's basketball team's late comeback was halted by the visiting St. Joseph University - Long Island Golden Eagles, falling 61-58, at The Doghouse on Saturday afternoon. 

Michaela Lattimore and Bryan Bascones finished in double figures, with Lattimore notching her fifth straight double-double and eighth overall, leading the way with 17 points on 7 of 13 shooting from the field while grabbing 11 rebounds in 35 minutes of work. Bascones hit for 11 points on 5 of 10 from the field while grabbing seven caroms. Natalie Simonds, Miah Crockett, and Essence Richardson each had eight points, with Simonds dishing out a team-high five assists in 31 minutes of play.

The Golden Eagles had three players in double-figures, led by Gabriella Andreacchi, who led the way with a game-high 23 points on 8 of 16 shooting while connecting on 7 of 13 from the outside. She added eight rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 36 minutes of play. Madelyn Barone tallied 16 points on 5 of 11 shooting while distributing a team-high five assists and recording four steals. Kallie Eichner finished with 15 points while hitting 6 of 9 from the floor and swiping a game-high six steals. Chantelle Larbi had two points but pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds for the visitors, six coming on the offensive end. 

The Bloodhounds jumped out to an 8-2 lead with Bascones connecting on a pair of layups before Lattimore capped the run with a driving layup off the feed from Simonds. SJLI got to within two, 8-6, following four points from Eichner, but the Bloodhounds quickly responded as Richardson hit back-to-back three-pointers as John Jay held a 14-9 edge at the end of the first quarter.

John Jay held St. Joseph's University to just 4 of 14 shooting in the opening ten minutes while the Bloodhounds converted at a 50.0 clip (6 of 12). The Bloodhounds stifled the Golden Eagles from the outside to begin the contest, holding them to a 20.0 percent (1 of 5) start. 

The Bloodhounds pushed their lead to seven, 18-11, to start the second quarter following a Lattimore layup before Andreacchi connected from the outside. The Golden Eagles answered back with a 13-6 spurt to even the score at 24 following a Barone layup at the 2:10 mark.

Crockett hit a baseline jumper, giving the lead back to the Bloodhounds, before SJLI scored five of the final seven points, including Larbi's layup just before the buzzer, giving the Golden Eagles a 29-28 lead.

When play resumed, the Golden Eagles opened with a 6-2 run, extending their lead to 35-30 following an Isabelle Lebron driving layup. Lattimore responded with a layup of her own on the other end for the Bloodhounds' first field goal of the second half. Bascones drove the lane and scored, cutting the visitors' lead to one, 35-34, midway through the quarter.

John Jay regained the lead, 39-38, following a three-pointer from Simonds at the top of the key. The Bloodhounds held a 41-40 advantage before Andreacchi beat the third-quarter buzzer with a corner triple, giving SJLI a 43-41 lead heading into the final stanza.

St. Joseph's University - Long Island carried that momentum into the start of the fourth quarter, with Barone hitting a three-pointer to extend the lead by five, 46-41. Eichner added a layup to increase the lead before Briana Minick drilled a three-pointer just in front of the home bench, as the Bloodhounds trailed by four, 48-44.

John Jay continued to fight back, as they scored six of the next 11 points over three minutes to get within a single possession, 53-50, following a bucket by Bascones, which prompted a timeout from the Golden Eagles. On the ensuing possession, Andreacchi hit a three-pointer, moving the lead to six, 56-60, before getting the ball back on an errant turnover by Richardson.

Lattimore added a layup with 92 seconds remaining in regulation that brought John Jay closer. Still, Andreacchi hit another trifecta from deep in the corner in front of the Golden Eagles' bench, as they took a 59-53 lead. Bascones hit a contested layup in the paint as Simonds was able to spot her driving in, as the Bloodhounds' comeback attempt continued, trailing by four, 59-55, with a minute left in the quarter.

The Bloodhounds sent Eichner to the line, as she made both attempts to elevate the lead back to 61-55. John Jay forced a key turnover as Crockett stole the ball away from Lebron. John Jay was able to poke the ball away as Crockett disrupted Lebron, which led to Simonds spotting up for a three-pointer, but she was fouled.

With 0.3 showing on the clock, Simonds hit all three of her attempts, and the Bloodhounds nearly had a late chance, but they ran out of time after attempting to steal the inbounds pass.

For the contest, the Bloodhounds hit 40.4 percent from the floor (21 of 52) while St. Joseph's University - Long Island converted on 37.3 percent from the field (22 of 59). The Golden Eagles went 11 of 24 from three-point range (45.8 percent) while the Bloodhounds hit on just 4 of 11 (36.4 percent). John Jay trailed on the boards, 41-36, with both teams pulling down 26 defensive rebounds.

The Bloodhounds close out 2025 on Tuesday, December 16, as they welcome the Farmingdale State Rams to The Doghouse for a 6:00 p.m. tipoff.