#3 Pitt-Bradford 69, #6 Hilbert College 55
Pitt-Bradford junior guard Ali Rinfrette scored a game-high 28 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, to lift the Pitt-Bradford women's basketball team past Hilbert College Wednesday night, 69-55, in the first round of the AMCC tournament.
It was a sloppy game that featured 60 turnovers and a five-minute stretch where either team failed to score.
Hilbert led by two after the first quarter, forcing the Blue and Gold into nine turnovers and just four made baskets. Freshman guard Shirleah Ragin delivered a much-needed spark for the Panthers in the second quarter. Her three-pointer at the 2:15 mark put Pitt-Bradford in front 25-23. The teams would trade free throws, and senior forward Brittany Watts' basket in the final seconds of the half gave the Panthers a 29-25 lead at the break. Ragin was a perfect 3-3 from the field in the frame, scoring eight points.
The Panthers forced a pair of quick turnovers to start the second half and extended their advantage to 33-25 on Rinfrette's bucket. Hilbert cut the deficit to six midway through the quarter, but senior guard Kaserra Owens scored on a putback to push it back to eight. Owens' steal and layup moments later stretched the margin to double-digits for the first time. Rinfrette would not let the Hawks get closer than eight the rest of the way. She was 3-5 from the field and 7-8 from the line in the final quarter. In three games against Hilbert this season, the junior guard averaged 28 points.
Pitt-Bradford shot 45 percent from the floor and scored 26 points off 34 Hilbert turnovers. The Panthers limited the Hawks to 37 percent shooting and outscored the visitors by eight in the paint.
Rinfrette went 8-12 from the field and 11-12 from the stripe. Watts completed her seventh double-double of season with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Owens hit 7-9 shots to finish with 14 points.
Pitt-Bradford improves to 16-10 on the season and will meet #2 Medaille College in the semifinals Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Pittsburgh. The game will be played at La Roche College.
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#5 Penn State Behrend 91, #4 Mount Aloysius College 64
The fifth-seeded Penn State Behrend women's basketball team upset #4 Mount Aloysius College 91-64 in the first round of the AMCC Women's Basketball Tournament on Wednesdaynight.
The Lions (10-16) had four players in double figures to post a season high in points with 91 while shooting a season best in field-goal and free-throw percentage to advance to the AMCC semifinals against No. 1 La Roche on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Freshman forward Katie Chess and sophomore guard Ali Goetz each registered a game-high 18 points. Chess completed the double-double with 10 rebounds and was joined by sophomore forward Emily Kinecki with 10 boards. Goetz had a career day at the free-throw line, going 12-for-14 to help Behrend finish 29-for-35 (82.9 percent) on the night.
Sophomore forward Heidi Langhorst got Behrend going in the first quarter with seven points in four minutes of work for a 20-12 lead. The Lions kept a comfortable lead in the second quarter, going 8-for-10 from the floor and 3-for-3 from behind the arc while holding a 10-3 advantage on the boards to take a 43-27 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Behrend took its talents to the free-throw line and went 10-for-10 for nearly half its points to remain out front. The Lions never let up in the fourth, outscoring the Mounties 27-17 for the final margin.
Mount Aloysius Freshman forward Jessa Wright was a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe for 16 points to lead the Mounties (12-14).
The Lions will now advance to the AMCC semifinals against #1 La Roche College on Saturday at 1 p.m.