Women's Basketball Edged by Stony Brook, 64-59, Sunday Afternoon

The Central Connecticut cut a 16-point Stony Brook lead down to four points with under three minutes to go in its Sunday afternoon women's basketball contest at home, but couldn't pull off the victory in the end, falling, 64-59. Freshman Cebria Outlow scored a career high 17 points, adding six rebounds, and sophomore Kiana Patterson also distributed a career best six assists, and added 13 points, including 3-for-5 from behind the arc.

Central heads into its final two non-conference games at Boston College and New Hampshire with a (1-8) record, and the Seawolves improve to (3-5) on the season. 

In the opening five minutes of the game, Stony Brook jumped out to a 10-4 lead, after going 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and forcing four Blue Devil turnovers. Central's leader in scoring, senior Aleah Epps, got the offense going in the first quarter, after sinking a runner in the lane at 7:58. SBU led 15-6 at the end of the first.

Despite shooting just 3-14 (21.4%) from the field through the first 10 minutes of play, Patterson drained a three on the first possession to cut the Seawolves lead to, 15-9. Epps completed an old-fashioned three point play, at 5:48 in the second with a floater outside the lane, but the momentum was quickly shifted when Christa Scognamiglio hit her second triple of the game, and the Blue Devils lost the ball out of bounds on the following two possesions. 

Scognamiglio continued her hot-shooting day, connecting on back-to-back three pointers with 4:18 left before the half. Then nailed her fifth three at 1:42, to carry the Seawolves to a 14-point, 30-16, lead over CCSU. Outlow gave Central a spark after connecting on a jumpshot in the paint off of a feed from Patterson, just 30 seconds after coming off of the bench. 

Outlow led the Blue Devils at the half with eight points, and Scognamiglio charted 17 points in 15 minutes of play. Central Connecticut held a 15-13 advantage on the boards, and trailed, 32-20, heading into the locker room. 

The Northeast Conference squad connected on 9-25 (36.0%) field goals compared to Stony Brook's 11-24 (45.8%) effort from the floor.

Outlow and Epps brought the lead to single-digits, 32-24, with back-to-back layups to start the third. Patterson dished out her fourth assist of the game with 3:51 left in the third period, when she found a cutting junior, Brianna Jacobs, off of an inbounds play.

Patterson continued to effectively distribute the ball hitting freshman Ashley Chin for two field goals, including a textbook back-door lay up with 1:34 on the clock. The sophomore guard finished the quarter sinking a three at the buzzer from the top of the key to give CCSU the momentum heading into the fourth quarter, and cut the Stony Brook lead to, 45-35. 

Both teams traded baskets in the opening minutes of the final period, matching each other in scoring, 9-9, before Central went on an 11-3 run. In the stretch, Epps found Outlow with under five minutes to go for a corner three, and Epps then took advantage of the Blue Devils being in the bonus at the foul line, sinking a pair of free throws. Outlow connected on a step-back jumper to pull CCSU to within four points of SBU.

After four of Kori Bayne-Walker free throws, Scognamiglio hit her sixth and final three-pointer on the afternoon with one minute left in regulation that brought the Seawolves lead back to 10 points. SBU went 6-for-7 from the floor in the final quarter to close out the game. Bayne-Walker netted a game-high 21 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Scognamiglio ended with 20 points. 

Central Connecticut forced 11 SBU turnovers, and out-rebounded its America East opponent, 31-29, led by six apiece from sophomore Andi Lydon, senior Giocelis Reynoso, and Outlow. CCSU shot 42.6% overall, and Stony Brook connected on 48.9% of its attempts. 

The Blue Devils have an entire week off until they take the court at Conte Forum Arena against the ACC's, Boston College, next Sunday at 4:00 p.m.