Garden City, N.Y. - In their first playoff victory since the 2019-20 season, the Adelphi University women's basketball team won its first round conference tournament game against American International College on Friday evening at the Center for Recreation & Sport, by a final score of 52-28.

Defense stood out in this tilt, as the Yellow Jackets were held without a point until nearly the 3:00 mark. Scoring didn't come easy for the Panthers either however, with the home team only mustering four points until that point courtesy of Rolanda Robinson and Gamila Betton buckets. 

Adelphi then began to go on a run in the latter part of the frame, with Ariana Kupi chipping in to the point total as well. The 'Cats held a seven point advantage at the end of one. 

The second set of 10 also proved to be a slow burn, with 15 total points scored by the halftime horn. AIC played themselves back into the game as time wore on, cutting the lead to two after Chelsea Reeves drilled one from the stripe with five ticks left. Isabella Asencio then flew down the court and managed to convert a contested layup with 0.3 on the clock plus an extra free throw. At the break, Reeves had 11 of the visitors' 13. 

Despite the Yellow Jackets earning the first bucket of the second half, the Panthers then responded with an 8-0 run of their own. Asencio continued to shine, with four of the points coming from her alongside Victoria Morgan and Robinson. Christina Sanchez extended the lead to double digits after a three-point make, putting the 'Cats in a comfortable position heading into the fourth. 

Kaitlyn O'Connell had been quiet most of the game, but her eyes widened in the final frame with history on the doorstep. Finding herself behind the line more often, the senior put home the first two deep shots she attempted in the quarter. With the crowd beginning to feel what was at stake, she hit another to tie the single-season record of 79 with 4:19 to play. 

Less than a minute later, as the CRS audience stood, she launched one high that later fell through the bottom of the net. This one stood as her 80th of the season, a new Adelphi single-season record for three-point field goals made. 

As the onslaught ensued as the clock winded down, the final buzzer ringed throughout the gym with the scoreboard showing a 24 point victory for the Brown and Gold. 

Head Coach Sade Jackson, with her first postseason win for Adelphi, will be back in action with her team on Sunday, March 2 when they travel to No. 2 seed Saint Anselm College. Game time from Manchester, N.H. is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with a berth to the NE10 semifinals on the line.