KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Dec. 3, 2022) – The USMMA women's basketball team pulled a rabbit out of the hat in the second half to steal a conference win from the Mount Saint Vincent Dolphins, as the Mariners triumphed to a comeback 58-50 win thanks to an overpowering defensive effort in the final three quarters. This afternoon's victory was Merchant Marine's eighth-straight versus CMSV going back to 2018.
 
Game Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Grace Jackson 

The Mariners fought their way back in the win column to move to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in Skyline play. Mount Saint Vincent in defeat fell to 3-3 overall and 0-3 in conference action.
 
Out of the gate, Merchant Marine got off to a slow start. Missed free throws and a 19% make rate from the field put USMMA in a 24-9 hole after 10 minutes. The Dolphins blitzed the home team by shooting 83% from the field including a 2-for-3 start from downtown.
 
As the game turned to quarter number two, Kings Point's offense remained stagnant. A 2-for-13 mark from the field in the second quarter for sure could have sunk the Mariners' ship, but the defensive display put forth by Coach Matt Dempsey's team saved the game.
 
The Mariners dropped their anchors on the Dolphins, who were held without a make from the field the entire quarter. CMSV's only two points in the 10 minutes came on Sofia Marcos free throws with 1:58 left in the half. Despite a 17% clip from the field and a 7-for-18 mark at the charity stripe, the Mariners escaped into halftime down single digits at 26-17.
 
Whatever Coach Dempsey said in the locker room was the answer to the riddle in the second half. After a steal and score off the inbounds pass by sophomore Grace Jackson (Parma, Idaho) opened the third quarter, fellow sophomore Abby Stramski (Jones, Okla.) did something a Mariner had not done since Opening Night against Baruch - hit a three. In under two minutes, USMMA cut the deficit to two possessions at 28-22.
 
Stramski's triple brought her team and the crowd to life. From then on, the Mariners took the fire lit by Stramski and carried the momentum the rest of the second half.
 
Senior Lauren Hunter, (Tinley Park, Ill.) who accounted for seven of the Mariners' 17 points at the break, went to work in the paint alongside fellow senior Madison Demos (Downers Grove, Ill.). Demos and Hunter ate the Dolphins alive underneath with a combined 14 points and 14 rebounds. For the first time this season, USMMA had their outside and inside offense working at the same time.
 
Merchant Marine's offense was not the only one working in the third. Dolphins' leading scorer Amber Been dropped seven of her 14 points in the third quarter. Been's 14 finished her in a tie with Melanieann Broderick for the team lead and kept CMSV at arm's length.
 
As the contest moved to the fourth and final frame of regulation, the Mariners trailed 39-31. The third quarter saw the Mariners awake, but the fourth quarter is when the offense came to life. Another steal by Jackson off the opening inbounds pass set the tone for the final 10 minutes.
 
Hunter followed with a layup that kick-started a 9-0 Mariners run to give them their first lead of the game at 40-39. A 9-0 run that was punctuated by a Jackson three. Jackson's offense translated to defense minutes later after a block on Kayla Hanley sprung Demos on a breakaway to the basket for a lay in to make it 46-43 Mariners with 5:14 to go.
 
Both defenses stiffened in the final five minutes, but it was the outside shooting of Jackson and Stramski that carried USMMA over the finish line. Two enormous jumpers from Stramski kept the Mariners' offense flowing, but it was Jackson who dropped the hammer one more time from downtown to tilt the win towards USMMA.
 
Tied at 48 with 2:00 on the clock, Jackson was left alone on the elbow and splashed the go-ahead three. From there, the Mariners got enough production at the free-throw line to finish the deal.
 
Resiliency was the name of the game for the Mariners this afternoon. Despite a 17-for-38 day at the line and shooting 30% from the field, USMMA dug deep and found a way to pull out their largest win of the young season.
 
USMMA will seek to take their momentum on a two-game road trip to Hunter College on Monday and Farmingdale State on Wednesday, teams the Mariners went 3-0 against last season. Live stats and a live video feed of both games will be available with links on the USMMA Women's Basketball Schedule Page.
 
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