The Berkeley College women's basketball team wrapped-up its regular season with a pair of NACIA road victories, defeating Bryant & Stratton-Ohio by a score of 83-72 back on Saturday, February 15, before turning around three days later and downing the Sound of Five Towns College, 81-71. With the triumphs, the Knights clinch a perfect February (5-0), and improved to 13-9 on the 2024-2025 campaign.
Bryant & Stratton-Ohio dipped to a mark of 10-13 on the season, while Five Towns College fell to 10-5.
In Berkeley's victory over the Bobcats, the Knights were paced by Magan Jackson (12-23 FG, 8-9 FT), as she scored a game-high 33 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Maria Negron scored 14 points and snatched a game-high 25 rebounds, and Ariella Johnson and Christa Williams scored 13 apiece.
Despite the loss for Bryant & Stratton-Ohio, the Bobcats were paced by Mia Richardson's double-double, as she recorded game-highs of 24 points and 16 rebounds, while also adding three assists and a game-high three steals. Ryann Greenfield added 17 points, eight boards, and three dimes, and Marisela Santos finalized her evening with 12 points and 10 caroms.
After a tightly-contested first quarter that saw the Knights snatch a 20-19 edge after 10 minutes of action, Berkeley spent the next two quarters building its advantage, outscoring the hosts 24-18 in the second quarter and 25-18 in the third to take a 69-55 advantage entering the final period. The Bobcats outscored the Knights 17-14 in the fourth, but Berkeley advanced for an 11-point win.
The Knights were far more efficient shooting the basketball, connecting on 39.8 percent of their attempts from the floor (33-83) compared to a 28.4 percent conversion rate from Bryant & Stratton-Ohio (25-88). Berkeley held edges in rebounds (60-51) and assists (13-11), but the Bobcats held advantages in steals (8-6) and blocked shots (3-0). Both teams took care of the basketball well, with the Knights committing just 13 turnovers, and the hosts finishing with 10 miscues.
Jackson was at the center of Berkeley's offensive attack against the Sound, just as she was against the Bobcats, as she scored a game-high 26 points (10-16 FG) to go along with nine rebounds, a team-high four steals, and a game-high three blocked shots. Khya Hough netted 18 points, snatched nine rebounds, and tied for the game-high of five assists. Johnson posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Anastasia Davis contributed 12 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Three players scored in double figures for the Sound, with Ihari Oromo netting a game-high 18 points while grabbing eight rebounds, swiping two steals, and blocking a pair of shots. Danayjha Moore added 16 points, and Des Bishop contributed 14 points, tied for the game-high of five steals, grabbed four rebounds, and dished four assists.
The Knights trailed by six in the first quarter (18-12), but rallied to go up by as many as nine points in the second quarter (45-36) before taking a 46-40 edge into the locker room at halftime.
Five Towns College scored the first four points of the third quarter to cut its deficit to two (46-44), but Berkeley responded with a 12-3 run over a span of 1:36 to take its biggest lead of the game, an 11-point edge (58-47). That aforementioned run was started by a triple by Davis, and capped by a Jackson triple. The Knights held a 60-52 advantage heading into the fourth.
The Knights led 67-55 with 7:11 remaining, and it looks as though Berkeley was poised to start to pull away from the Sound, but Five Towns put together an 11-3 run over a span of 3:39 to close to within four (70-66). The Knights then scored seven straight points (highlighted by six from Jackson) to essentially put the game away. Berkeley eventually won the contest by 11.
Berkeley was more efficient shooting the basketball, connecting on 39.7 percent of their attempts from the floor (27-68) compared to a 31 percent conversion rate from Bryant & Stratton-Ohio (26-84). Berkeley held edges in rebounds (58-48), assists (20-12), and blocked shots (4-2) but the Sound held the advantage in steals (18-10). Five Towns won the turnover battle, committing 19 miscues compared to 28 for the visitors.
The Knights will enter the 2024-2025 USCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament as the No. 3 seed, and will take on No. 6 seeded University of Maine-Fort Kent on Tuesday, March 11 at 2:30pm.
