PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (Dec. 11, 2024) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's basketball team shot 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from the floor in the fourth quarter to help complete a comeback that turned a 10-point second-quarter deficit into an eventual 69-63 triumph on the road against St. Joseph's-Long Island. USMMA improved to 7-1 (6-0 Skyline), while the Golden Eagles dropped to 8-2 (5-1 Skyline).
Game Links
Freshman
Carolae Barton (Waldorf, Md.) made 12-of-18 field goals and had game-highs in both points and rebounds as part of a 31-point, 15-board double-double to lead USMMA. Senior
Kaira Winston (Chesterfield, Va.) added 14 points, while classmate
Grace Jackson (Parma, Idaho) finished with 11. The Mariners shot 39.7 percent (25-of-63) from the floor, but made just 2-of-14 3-pointers (14.3 percent). USMMA posted a +9 margin (49-40) on the glass and recorded 13 steals.
Gabriella Andreacchi made 6-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-5 3-pointers, to lead St. Joseph's-Long Island with 15 points off the bench. The Golden Eagles shot just 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the field and went 6-of-27 (22.2 percent) from long range.
USMMA scored the first four points of the game before the Golden Eagles used a 10-0 run to grab a six-point lead at the 4:48 mark. After a layup from Winston interrupted the rally, St. Joseph's-Long Island scored the next six points to go up by 10 with 55 seconds to go. Barton closed out the quarter with a layup as the Mariners trailed, 16-8.
Following a quick bucket by the home team to open the second, Barton scored four points as part of a 6-0 run that pulled USMMA to within 18-14. A layup-and-one at the other end promptly pushed the USMMA deficit back to seven before a pair of free throws from sophomore
Emily Grasseler (Millbrook, N.Y.) at the 6:45 mark made it a three-point game, 21-18. The margin was still three points when the Golden Eagles made a 3-pointer with 1:36 to play to take a 30-24 lead into the break.
The Mariners twice pulled to within two points early in the third, but St. Joseph's-Long Island used a 7-2 run to grab a 39-32 lead at the 5:06 mark. After a Winston bucket, Barton made a layup and a pair of free throws before junior
Hannah Ramsden (Port Aransas, Texas) buried a 3-pointer to put the Mariners on top, 41-39. Barton added two more free throws to cap an 11-0 run that put the Mariners up, 43-39, with 1:09 left in the third. The Golden Eagles made a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to cut the USMMA lead to 45-44 at the end of three quarters.
After a St. Joseph's-Long Island 3-pointer leveled the score at 49-49, Jackson drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to jumpstart a 7-0 run that put the Mariners up, 56-49, with 6:12 on the clock. USMMA still led by six when the Golden Eagles went on a 7-0 run of their own to grab a 59-58 lead on a 3-pointer at the 3:10 mark.
The Mariners tied the game with a free throw and then tied the game again on a Barton jumper that made it 61-61 with 2:14 to go. A free throw put the Golden Eagles back on top before a Ramsden free throw tied the game again. USMMA led by just one with 50 seconds to play, but scored the game's final five points for a 69-63 victory.
The Mariners travel to face St. Joseph's-Brooklyn at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14.
