Stevens Clinches Playoff Berth; Moves to Third Place in E8
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (February 10, 2012) – Seniors Victoria Webber (Silver Spring, Md.) and Jillian Barrett (Philadelphia, Pa.) both posted double-doubles as the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s basketball team (10-12, 7-5) went into Manning & Napier Varsity Gymnasium and took down host St. John Fisher College 66-55. The victory guarantees the Ducks a spot in the Empire 8 Tournament and moves the team into a tie with Fisher (11-12, 7-5) for third place in the league with two games remaining.
Webber scored 24 points for Stevens and sparked the Ducks to the quick start that propelled them to victory. The Silver Spring, Md. native scored the first five points of the game single-handedly and went on to score 16 in the first half. Stevens raced out to a 10-point lead less than eight minutes into the game on a three-pointer by senior Dawn Garcia (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who finished with 11 points.
A layup by Barrett halfway through the first period meant that the Ducks had scored 23 of the first 30 points of the game, and the team was able to coast into the locker room leading 34-20.
Webber picked up right where she left off after the break, scoring two points in the paint 10 seconds into the second half.
Portia Velasco (Vallejo, Calif.) got Fisher as close as it would get, netting a jumper to make the score 40-35 with 13 minutes to go. Barrett and Garcia answered on the next two possessions, however, and the Ducks soon led by double digits again.
An 8-0 run by the Ducks that was started by a layup from Avis Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.) at the four-minute mark ensured the visitors would come away with the important victory.
Stevens avenged a loss on their home court where Fisher defeated the Ducks, 60-56, earlier this year. The Ducks never trailed in their victory on Friday night.
Stevens out-rebounded Fisher, 50-37…Webber was 3-for-4 from behind the arc, and the Ducks made six total three-pointers…the Cardinals were held to just 33 percent shooting…Thanks to their rebounding prowess, the Ducks scored 30 points in the paint and earned 17 second-chance points (compared to 12 and five, respectively, for Fisher).
Though they were defeated, the Cardinals also clinched a playoff spot thanks to a loss by Nazareth College to Hartwick College on Friday evening. Stevens, Fisher, Hartwick and Ithaca College will make up the Empire 8 postseason field, with seeding still to be determined over the final two games of the season.