Box Score WASHINGTON - The top two women's basketball teams in the United East Conference went the distance and then some here Saturday in the championship game before a loud and spirited crowd of 537 in the Field House. In the end, second-seed SUNY Morrisville took down the top-seed Bison from Gallaudet University with a 74-69 overtime victory.
This game had everything you expect and want in a championship caliber contest. On one side, a sharp-shooting team that came through with a key 3-pointer time after time and on the other side a physical squad that could crash the boards and score in the paint. Sprinkle in a vibrant game environment that brought flashbacks of the last time Gallaudet hosted in a conference championship game during the magical 2010-11 season. A game with these high stakes needed an extra five minutes past regulation to see who would represent the United East in the NCAA tournament.
Unfortunately, for the Bison faithful it was the team clad in forest green and black that came out on top and got the opportunity to cut down the nets.
Gallaudet's team has nothing to hang their heads about. The seven healthy players in uniform fought hard and represented Gallaudet admirably Saturday night in the Field House in a game that had many saying was the United East women's basketball game of the year.
Gallaudet and SUNY Morrisville had another memorable game, three weeks ago in New York, when the Bison escaped with a 74-73 victory. Since that game the Mustangs have not lost and will take a seven-game winning streak into next week when they make their program's first NCAA tournament appearance.
A big difference in the game was SUNY Morrisville's ability to shoot from outside as it made 11 3-pointers. This should not come as a big surprise as the Mustangs rank in the Top 15 in NCAA Division III for 3-pointers made. In fact, the last time the two teams played on February 5 the Mustangs made a season-high 16 3-pointers against the Bison.
While the Bison didn't have an answer from outside they had United East Player of the Year Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) down in the post as the sophomore forward finished with a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists and one block. Senior guard Emelia Beldon (Frederick, Md.), the heartbeat of the team, had an admirable final game in the Field House with 10 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block as she played all 45 minutes. Sophomore guard Sunita Schmidjorg (Austin, Texas) finished with 15 points, eight assists, three rebounds, one steal and a block. Sophomore forward Malia Zornoza (Riverside, Calif.) was the fourth Bison in double figures with 12 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists and two steals. Freshman Hannah Puent (Indianapolis, Ind.) logged 15 critical minutes off the bench and made the most of the time to pour in eight points and rip down 10 boards.
SUNY Morrisville forward Cara Walker took home Most Valuable Player honors after a 20-point performance in the championship game. Walker grabbed six boards, passed out five assists and made two steals. Walker was one of four Mustangs to made two or more 3-pointers. Guard Rachel Vieira led SUNY Morrisville from outside with four 3-pointers as she finished with 20 points. Olivia Brunner added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists off the bench while guard Taylor Colone-Microni netted 10 points.
GU (16-9) scored the game's first six points and led 14-4 before SUNY Morrisville (19-7) used a 12-2 run to cut GU's lead to two points, 16-14, through 10 minutes played.
The Bison started the second quarter with five quick points and extended the lead to eight points, 29-21, but that would be short-lived. SUNY Morrisville rattled off nine straight points to take its first lead of the game at the 2:43 mark in the second. The teams went back-and-forth before GU ran into the half up 37-33.
The team began the second half with cold starts before GU built up several eight- and nine-point leads. GU couldn't push any of those leads to double figures. Perry also ran into foul trouble with two quick fouls in a one-minute span to be forced to the bench with three personals. Puent stepped up in Perry's stead and recorded five rebounds in two minutes.
Gallaudet led 49-40 with 1:24 left in the third quarter. The game swung in SUNY Morrisville's direction over the course of the next six minutes. The Mustangs went on a 13-0 run led by six points from Walker. The Bison missed six shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, two free throws and made three turnovers. GU took several uncharacteristic shots during the span and Perry picked up a fourth foul just over a minute into the fourth quarter and was sent back to the bench for a few minutes.
When Perry returned the Bison trailed 53-49 with 5:34 left in regulation. Perry would score seven of Gallaudet's 11 points down the stretch including the game-tying jump shot with 11 seconds left. The two teams went into overtime knotted at 60-60.
Gallaudet scored seven of the first nine points and led 67-62 with 3:21 left in the first overtime. Taylor Colone-Microni made two huge 3-pointers as the latter gave SUNY Morrisville a 68-67 lead. The teams combined to miss the next five shots before Perry got sent to the free throw line and made both shots with 53 seconds left and the Bison back in front up one, 69-68. SUNY Morrisville got one more basket from Walker and Vieira iced the game from the free throw line in the waning seconds.
BISON TRACKS
- Sophomore Serenity Fry (East Los Angeles, Calif.) finished with four points, four rebounds, one steal and block
- Freshman Shayla Rochette (Worcester, Mass) recorded five minutes off the bench for the Bison
- Gallaudet scored 38 points in the paint
- GU shot 41.5 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the free throw line
- This marked the final game for Beldon who compiled 1,094 points, 605 assists (a school record), 456 rebounds, 275 steals and 11 blocks in 104 games played in four seasons
UP NEXT
This concludes the 2021-22 women's basketball season for the Bison.
2022 United East Women's Basketball Tournament
Championship - Saturday, Feb. 26
No. 2 SUNY Morrisville 74, No. 1 Gallaudet 69 (OT) | Box Score
Semifinals - Friday, Feb. 25
No. 1 Gallaudet 62, No. 4 St. Mary's 55 | Box Score
No. 2 SUNY Morrisville 78, No. 3 Penn State Harrisburg 60 | Box Score
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