Albany, NY – The Sage College's women's basketball team hosted the Dolphins of the College of Mt. St. Vincent on Saturday afternoon in the 2014 Skyline Women's Basketball Tournament. The host Gators tallied the 61-55 victory to earn a spot in the upcoming NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament, the first in the program's history. Sage improves to 17-9 overall, while CMSV drops to 18-9. The 17 wins is the most for any Sage women's basketball team in the program's history.
Sage's junior guard Megan Bowman (Dannemora, NY/Saranac) earned Skyline Conference Most Outstanding Player Honors after she finished with a team-high 24 points. She shot 9-18 from the floor and added five rebounds with four assists and three steals.
Sage's junior center Amie Jefferson (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) added a team-best 11 rebounds in the action, junior guard Lea McClain (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) added eight points for Sage.
CMSV held a 31-30 lead at the break. The Dolphins led by six points, 38-32 with 16:47 left before the Gators inched their way back. CMSV held a one-point lead with 45-44 with 9:57 left to play but the game would be tied again for the fifth time at 55-55 at 2:14 as rookie guard Christina Barone (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) hit a layup. Sage then went on a 6-0 run to end the action as they paced by two free throws by Bowman and another pair by sophomore Sara Tironi (Cambridge, NY/Cambridge Central). Bowman sunk her last point of the game on a one and one at 0:08.
CMSV's junior center Kelly Fraser (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) finished with a double-double as she had 15 points and 13 rebounds including 11 defensive boards. Rookie guard Brittany Carroll (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) added 12 points in the action.
For the game, Sage held a 54-41 edge on the boards. The Gators also limited CMSV to 33.9% shooting for the game (21-62), while shooting just 34.8% from the floor as well (23-66).
