Women's Basketball Holds Off Suffolk for 75-71 Victory

Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University women's basketball team saw three players record double figures as the Rams held off late fourth quarter surge by Suffolk University to hold on for a 75-71 victory in non-conference action this afternoon at the Athletic Center.

THE BASICS:

- Score: Framingham State 75, Suffolk 71

- Records: Framingham State (7-1), Suffolk University (5-3)

- Location:  Athletic Center – Framingham, Mass.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Framingham State was paced by a team-high 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists from senior Mary Kate O'Day (Berlin, Mass.). O'Day connected on 6-of-18 from the floor including 3-of-7 from long range.
• Freshman Flannery O'Connor (Amesbury, Mass.) recorded a double-double as well with 18 points and 12 boards.  O'Connor connected on 8-of-13 from the floor and added an assist and a steal.
• Senior Emily Velozo (Tewksbury, Mass.) was the final Ram in double figures with 17 points, four rebounds, two steals and two assists.
• The Suffolk Rams were led by a game-best 23 points from senior Alexis Hackett. Hackett connected on 8-of-13 from the floor including 7-of-11 from behind the arc. She completed the double-double in the game with a team-high 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks.
• Junior Gabriella DeComo added 15 points for Suffolk, while classmate Jordan Hipwell finished with 10. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Suffolk opened up a 20-14 lead late in the first quarter thanks to Hackett connecting on 4-of-4 from behind the arc in the first frame. The black and gold Rams closed the quarter with a spurt of their own to pull within three after one, 23-20.
• Framingham State took their first lead of the game, 24-23, on a steal and layup from freshman Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) just over two minutes into the second. 
• Framingham extended the lead to eight, 37-29, thanks to back-to-back threes and a put back from O'Day.
• Suffolk closed the frame outscoring the Rams 7-4 over the final minutes to head to the locker room trailing 41-36.
• Suffolk opened the third quarter scoring five straight tying the game at 41-41 with 8:44 on the clock. Framingham used a 15-4 run over the next four minutes to take a 56-45 lead.  O'Connor started the spurt with three straight baskets in the paint and O'Day finished it with a three.  The Rams eventually took a 62-53 lead after three quarters on a three by Carpenter.
• Suffolk pulled within three, 62-59, on a three by Hackett with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth.
• The Rams pushed the lead back to nine after a three and drive in the paint from Velozo and a three from freshman Katty Haidul (Wakefield, Mass.) with 4:27 on the clock.
• Suffolk used an 8-1 run capped by a jumper in the paint from DeComo to pull within two, 73-71, with 17.6 on the clock.  Suffolk was forced to foul and O'Connor sank both to seal the victory.

UP NEXT:                   

Framingham State travels to MIT on Tuesday night for a non-conference tilt at 7 p.m., while Suffolk hosts Clark on Tuesday at 7.