Women's Basketball Clinches Postseason Home Game with Senior Day Win over Wagner
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team clinched a Northeast Conference tournament home game with a 76-65 win over Wagner on Saturday in New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils shot a blistering 53 percent from the field in the third quarter, while holding the Seahawks without a point for almost eight minutes. CCSU was led by five players in double digits scoring.
The Blue Devils honored seniors Meghan Kenefick, Belle Lanpher and Amaya Williams prior to the game.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 76, WAGNER 65
Records: CCSU (10-18, 9-6 NEC), WAG (8-19, 5-10 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS
- CCSU would break a 10-10 tie midway through the opening period with a quick 6-1 spurt. Selina Monestime accounted for all six points of the run, while the Central defense held Wagner without a field goal for nearly three minutes. A pair of Amaya Williams foul shots put Central ahead 22-17 after the first quarter.
- A jumper by Lucia Noin to open the second quarter gave CCSU a 24-17 lead, but Wagner would hold the Blue Devils scoreless for over five minutes. The Seahawks would score 13 unanswered points and built a 30-24 edge following three foul shots by Taleah Washington at the 4:34 mark.
- The Blue Devils would rattle off a 10-0 run of their own in the closing moments of the half. A layup by Belle Lanpher started the spurt. Lanpher and Dagny Slomack would hit back-to-back treys and two foul shots by Lanpher made it 37-36 with 0:15 left in the half. After a Wagner three-point play, Meghan Kenefick hit a trifecta as time expired to give Central a 40-39 lead at the break.
- Wagner would take a 45-44 lead early in the third quarter and would push the lead to as many as five points. Central would force the Seahawks to miss 10 straight shots, while scoring 15 unanswered points to regain the lead. Back-to-back shots by Kenefick gave CCSU the lead before a layup by Lucia Noin made it 61-51 early in the fourth quarter.
- CCSU would push the lead to 64-51 before the Seahawks managed to score their first points of the period. All told, CCSU held Wagner scoreless for 7:58 in the second half. A three-pointer by Slomack put CCSU ahead by its largest margin, 76-58, and the Seahawks got no closer than the final margin.
NUMBER TO KNOW
2015 – CCSU clinched a home NEC Tournament game for the first time since 2015.
NOTES
- Lanpher led the way with 17 points and six assists. She added three rebounds.
- Slomack had 16 points and was 4-of-6 from the arc.
- Kenefick finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
- Noin had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
- Williams had 10 points and four assists without a turnover. She also posted a plus-23.
- The Blue Devils' seed for the postseason is not yet determined. They can finish #2, #3 or #4.
- Central is 32-23 all-time against Wagner and has won the past three meetings.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils close the regular season at LIU on Thursday night in a 7:00 p.m. tipoff..
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