Barrett Helps Stevens Grind Out A 55-42 Win Over Nazareth
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (January 8, 2011) – Junior forward Jillian Barrett notched 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s basketball team grinded out a 55-42 victory over Empire 8 rival Nazareth College at Kindera Gymnasium in Rochester, N.Y. With the win, the Ducks moved to an impressive 10-1 on the year with an unblemished 3-0 league ledger, while the Golden Flyers fell to 5-7 on the season and 1-2 in conference play.
Nazareth’s Brittany TallChief (Silver Cree, N.Y.) opened up scoring with a layup at the 18:51 mark, but Armstrong netted four-straight points on a pair of short jumpers to put the Ducks on top. After a Jillian Barrett free-throw, Armstrong struck again, this time laying it in for two to stretch the Stevens lead to four. On the Ducks’ next possession, Victoria Webber tracked down her own rebound off a missed jumper which would lead to a Barrett three, an eight-point Stevens margin and a Nazareth timeout.
Hoping cut into the margin following the break, the Golden Flyers’ Brittany Wilson (Fairport, N.Y.) notched six-straight points, before a Brittany Patenaude (Watertown, N.Y.) triple at 10:36 helped Nazareth regain a 11-10 edge, forcing a Ducks’ stoppage.
With both defenses settling in, neither team could get much going, as both squads remained scoreless for the next six and a half minutes. Wilson finally ended the dry spell with a jumper at 4:05 before Stevens’ Victoria Webber connected on the ensuing possession, ending a nearly 10 and a half Ducks’ field-goal drought.
Isaura Guzman then hit a jumper to put Stevens back up, 15-13. Still ahead by two with just under two minutes remaining in the half, Garcia drilled a three, but back-to-back treys to give Nazareth a one-point advantage heading into the intermission.
Junior guard Katie Kollar (Johnstown, N.Y.) extended the Golden Flyers’ lead to four, drilling a triple to open up second half scoring, but Ducks’ freshman Molly Spadaro drove the lane for two before four-straight Barrett points on a pair of free-throws and a driving layup put the Ducks back on top 25-23.
Hoping to up the Ducks’ margin, Garcia drained a three from the top of the key, but a Patenaude jumper coupled with an Erica Shaw (Livonia, N.Y.) three pulled Naz even. Guzman answered with a bucket of her own before a Barrett basket and Guzman trey help Stevens open up a seven-point edge.
Looking to stay within striking distance, Wilson kick-started a 6-2 Golden Flyers rally as Nazareth cut it to 37-34 with 8:07 on the clock. Down just two with just under six left, TallChief went 1-for-2 from the line, trimming the deficit to one, but Barrett and Armstrong hit back-to-back baskets to give Stevens a five-point cushion.
Kollar responded with a three to pare the deficit back down to two, but Barrett immediately dialed it up from distance, forcing a Nazareth timeout. Still up five at the 2:25 mark, Guzman drained yet another three as the Stevens typically stingy defense held steady the rest of the way, snuffing out a would-be Golden Flyer comeback to secure a 55-42 victory.
Armstrong finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Guzman had 10 points and four boards. Garcia and Webber combined for 13 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists in the victory. Wilson and Patenaude led a Nazareth with 12 and 10 points, respectively, with Wilson also pulling down 14 rebounds. TallChief, Kollar, and Shaw each finished with six.