BROOKLYN – Anna Bryce (Troy, NY/Albany Academy) and Emily Guerra (Babylon. NY/Babylon) recorded double-doubles, but Pine Manor College used a 19-4 edge in the first quarter to defeat Pratt Institute women's basketball, 63-50, in a non-conference matchup Thursday evening.
Bryce led the Cannoneers with 18 points and 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. The senior guard has scored double figures in all four games this season. Guerra tallied her second career double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. The freshman has reached double figures in
Shaquanda Middleton led all players with 26 points and a team-high 11 rebounds and Shaneka Moore added 14 points and eight boards, leading Pine Manor to its second straight victory, as the Gators improved to 2-4. The Cannoneers dropped their third straight to fall to 1-3.
As a team, the Cannoneers only shot 18-of-74 (24.3%) from the field, including 4-for-20 (20%) from behind the arc. Pratt also shot 33.3% from the free throw line (10-for-30).
"We struggled offensively tonight," said head coach Sade Jackson. "Our shots just weren't falling. Missing free throws hurt as well, but fortunately enough, we have a quick turnaround with a game tomorrow and a chance to bounce back."
After winning the opening tip, Middleton opened the scoring with a layup to give Pine Manor an early edge. After an Epperson turnover, Erica Jones connected on a layup of her own, forcing a Pratt timeout just 40 seconds into the game. Guerra sank a free to put the Cannoneers on the board and AimeeLyn Miller (Dufur, OR/Dufur) added one as well to trim the deficit to 4-2.
Pine Manor would then go on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes to open an 11-2 lead before reigning Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week Amissa Epperson (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic) drained Pratt's first field goal of the game to close the gap to 11-4. The Gators would go on their second extended run of the frame, taking advantage of seven consecutive Pratt misses, to push the margin to 19-4. Epperson sank her second free throw of the opening stanza to pull the Cannoneers within 14 to close out the first quarter.
After ending the Pine Manor run, the Cannoneers, carrying a little momentum into the second frame, took advantage of a cold stretch by the Gators to pull within three points. After Pine Manor missed the quarter's first three shots, Bryce took over, scoring seven of the game's next 11 points as the Cannoneers trimmed the lead to 19-16 with 6:33 to play in the stanza. However, the three-point margin would be as close as the Cannoneers would come on the evening.
After a pair of missed free throws slowed the Pratt run, Middleton scored the game's next five points to reclaim an eight-point lead for Pine Manor. Pratt would again close the gap to three points after a Guerra jumper to open second-half play but the Gators would go on a 9-0 run over the next 2:36 to put the game out of reach.
Up Next: The Cannoneers have a one-day turnaround as they head to Bronxville, New York for a non-conference matchup with Sarah Lawrence College at 6:00 p.m. Pratt downed the Gryphons, 60-38, on February 2, 2016.
