Stevens Wins E8 Title; Brown Named MVP
Ducks Earn NCAA AQ Bid
HOBOKEN, N.J. – The top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology dominated the title game of the Empire 8 Championship tournament on Saturday afternoon with a 70-44 final score against third-seeded Ithaca College. The Ducks improved to 21-6 on teh season and earn the automatic bid into the 2016 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship. With the loss, Ithaca's season comes to an end at 16-11.
The E8 title is the third overall for Stevens and first since 2010-11.
Sophomore Megan Brown was named the tournament MVP after an 11 point, 11 rebound performance in the title game.
In the early goings of the opening quarter, Stevens jumped out to an early lead after converting back-to-back transition buckets in the paint to hold a 4-2 lead just 1:31 into the contest. The Bombers would counter on their next possession, however, to stake Ithaca to a one-point edge, 5-4.
The lead would change hands three times over the next two minutes before the Ducks pushed their lead to double-digits after putting together a 14-3 run to make it 20-10 after 10 minutes of play.
Stevens would push the margin to as many as 15 points in the second quarter before the Bombers began to find their stride. Down 30-15 with 4:39 left before intermission, Ithaca would reel off seven of the game's next nine points to pull with 10 points, 32-22, with 2:50 showing on the clock, but that was as close as Ithaca could get in the opening half as 12 first half turnovers allowed Stevens to build a 12-point lead heading into the locker room, 34-22.
Coming out of the break, Ithaca would make it a 10-point game, but the Ducks were relentless on the offensive end, scoring seven unanswered points as part of a 14-4 run to build a 20-point lead, 48-28, with 2:19 left to play in the frame. The Ducks held a 19 point margin heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth, Stevens would push its advantage to as many as 28 points after outscoring the Bombers 18-11 over the final 10 minutes of play to earn its third conference crown.
Kaitlyn Astel led Stevens with 21 points and Erica Guketlov finished with 13 points and four assists.
Keri Steele and Julie Yacovoni finished with 10 point each while Ali Ricchiuti added eight points and four rebounds and three assists for the Bombers.
Championship Tournament Photo Gallery