#20 American International Rallies Past Franklin Pierce, 65-60 (2OT)
Yellow Jackets score 29 points off turnovers, erase 13-point second-half deficit
RINDGE, N.H. (February, 2006) - American International College, ranked No. 20 in this week's USA Today/ESPN Division II poll, rallied from a 13-point deficit midway through the second half to post a 65-60 double-overtime victory at Franklin Pierce, ranked ninth in the Northeast Region, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at the Fieldhouse this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce held American International to 30-percent (24-80) shooting from the field, including 6-of-24 (25%) from three-point range, for the contest. However, the Yellow Jackets forced the Ravens into a season-high 30 turnovers, which resulted in 29 points at the other end. The Ravens also shot themselves in the foot at the free-throw line, canning just 9-of-20 (45%) on the day.
Senior Sharmion Selman (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) posted a double-double to lead AIC, totaling 13 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and four steals. Junior Krystal Pressley (New Haven, Conn.) added 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and five steals, while senior Debbie Sampson (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) registered 12 points and three assists off the bench.
Sophomore Stephanie Bergeron (Pointe Claire, Quebec) netted a game-high 17 points (11 first half) for Franklin Pierce. Senior Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) notched the Ravens first double-double this season (women or men) with ten points and a season-high 13 rebounds, while junior Danielle D'Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's) added eight points and nine boards.
The Ravens out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets 58-47 in the contest, with freshman Heather Benton (Valley Springs, Calif./St. Mary's) also reaching double-digits on the boards with a season-best ten.
Franklin Pierce hit 50-percent (11-22) of its shots from the field, including 5-of-10 from three-point range, to take a nine point lead (32-23) into halftime. Bergeron led the way in the opening stanza with 11 points, draining 3-4 from three-point range.
AIC closed to within five on three occasions in the opening seven minutes of the second-half, but Franklin Pierce used an 8-0 run, sparked by five points from D'Ettorre, including a conventional three-point play, to take a 13-point lead (47-34) with 12:23 to play.
The Ravens lead was still 13 (51-38) after a Benton put back with 8:22 to go when the Yellow Jackets made their move. AIC, which would hold the Ravens to just three field goals the rest of the way, was down 11 (52-41) after Jacobs hit one of two at the line for Franklin Pierce with 4:37 on the clock.
AIC closed out regulation with a 13-2 run, forcing the first tie (54-54), since in was 5-5 three minutes into the contest, as Selman converted one of two at the line with 44-seconds to play. Both teams had possessions in the closing seconds of regulation, but both turned the ball over and Selman missed a jumper with two seconds to go.
Pressley hit two free throws to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead of the night (56-54) 1:41 into the first overtime. AIC was up a pair (57-55) after senior Tiffany Wooten (Mattapan, Mass./Randolph) hit a free-throw with 55-seconds left, but Bergeron converted a conventional three-point play to give the Ravens the lead back (58-57) with 37-seconds on the clock. Junior Alissa Rubino (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Comsewogue) made up for her own turnover with a steal and was fouled with 17-seconds left, but made just one of two, knotting the score at 58-58. The Ravens missed a driving lay-up with eight-seconds left for the win, forcing a second extra period.
AIC never trailed in the final five minutes, jumping out to a five-point lead (63-58) with 2:28 on the clock, after a Sampson jumper and Pressley three-pointer. Sophomore Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) scored a lay-up to pull the Ravens within three (63-60) with 1:20 left, but that was as close as they would get, shooting 0-4 from the field the rest of the way.
Franklin Pierce (13-9, 10-7 NE-10) is back on the road Tuesday for a key Conference match up with Bentley College, ranked eight in the region, at 5:30 p.m. American International (18-4, 13-4 NE-10) hosts Saint Anselm College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.