Box Score
Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University women's basketball team turned in a dominating second half performance to defeat the Setters of Pace University 74-54 in Northeast-10 Conference action on Tuesday night at the Center for Recreation and Sports. The Panthers led by four at the half but outscored their opposition 38-22 in the second frame to improve to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the NE-10. The loss drops Pace to 5-2 and 4-2 in the conference.
The Panthers were led by
Jessica Kitrys, who set a new career high in points with 28, and added nine rebounds. Kitrys' performance marks the highest single-game point total since Ashley Caiafa dropped 29 points against Caldwell on Nov. 13, 2010.
Kelly Mannix joined Kitrys as the second Panther in double figures with 19, and
Sade Jackson once again ran the offense with 12 assists. For Pace, Brittany Shields and Kera Bretney scored in double figures with 13 and 10, respectively.
The Panthers opened the game on a 7-0 run, courtesy of a three from Mannix and baskets by Kitrys and
Jenna Halaby. Another basket from Kitrys and a three from
Lauren Nuss gave the home squad an early 10-point lead, 12-2, with just under five minutes played. The Setters chipped away from there and got within five, but another three from Mannix and a bucket from Kitrys restored Adelphi's double digit lead at 17-7.
The Setters battled back, and went on a 19-9 scoring run that spanned over seven minutes as the Panthers' shooting went cold. The visitors would pull to within one, 26-25, midway through the frame, and took their first and only lead of the game, 27-26, moments later behind a Bretney layup.
Kitrys would sink one of two free throws to knot the action at 27 and layups from
Tara Flynn and
Brenna Gonsalves put the Brown and Gold back in front, 31-27 with just over three minutes remaining. The home team would take a four point lead into halftime at 36-32.
The Panthers unleashed a 17-3 scoring run over the first eight minutes of the second half, as Mannix and Kitrys combined to score 13 over that stretch. The Adelphi offensive dominance continued for the duration of the second half, and another three from Mannix pushed the host's lead over 20 by a score of 59-37 with 9:39 remaining.
A 10-3 run by the visitors cut the deficit to 65-47 with under five minutes to go, but a three point play by Kitrys put the Adelphi lead back over the 20 point plateau, 68-47. The deficit proved to be too large for the visitors to overcome and the Panthers held steady over the final minutes to come away with the victory.
The Panthers will hit the road for an NE-10 contest against the Dolphins of Le Moyne College on Saturday, December 8th. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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