Jan. 19, 2008

Box Score

Bridgeport, CT - The Adelphi University women's basketball team fell to the University of Bridgeport, 65-62, on Saturday afternoon at Harvey Hubble Gym. The Purple Knights improve to 8-8 and 5-4 in the ECC, while the Panthers drop to 7-8 and 5-3 in the conference.

Senior Gianna Smith (Hempstead, N.Y.) led Adelphi with 23 points and five rebounds. Junior Serita Lee (Freeport, N.Y.) had 17 points and seven boards.

The Purple Knights opened the ball game with a three-pointer, but Adelphi answered on a 16-5 run, capped by a lay-up by Smith at 13:00. The Panthers maintained their lead for much of the first half, including up by 10, 25-15, at 5:55. UB rallied with back-to-back three-point baskets to close the half on a 13-5 run and knot the score at 28.

Shannon Malone connected on two of her game-high 29 points to open the second half and regain the lead for Bridgeport. Smith and Lee teamed up to put the Panthers back on top, 38-34, at 14:02. The Purple Knights kept in close, staying within three points for most of the half. A trifecta by Ana-Marie Kammer at 4:21 put Bridgeport up for good as its lead ballooned to nine points, 64-55, with less than a minute remaining. Senior Mary Lepore (Manhasset, N.Y.) had four of her nine points in the final seconds a the Panthers closed on a 7-1 run. However the buzzer ended the team's rally.

Bridgeport shot an improved 57.1 percent from the field in the second half, compared with just 39.3 percent for Adelphi. Overall the Purple Knights also held a slight 34-32 advantage on the boards.

Adelphi returns to action on Monday, January 21, as they host St. Thomas Aquinas at 7:00 p.m. In honor of Martin Luther King Day the team will honor an African-American that has made a contribution to Adelphi University at half-time.