March 29, 2009

BC Women's Basketball Advances to WNIT Final Four

Chestnut Hill, Mass. - The Boston College women's basketball team battled past Georgetown to advance to the 2009 WNIT Final Four by defeating the Hoyas 65-56 Sunday afternoon at Conte Forum.

BC was led by sophomore Carolyn Swords who had 16 points and 10 rebounds for her 12the double-double this season. Junior Ayla Brown contributed eight clutch rebounds and added 11 points while sophomore Stefanie Murphy notched 10 points and grabbed six rebounds.

The Eagles held Georgetown to just one basket in the first five minutes of the first half, taking an early 6-3 lead. The Hoyas scored four of the next five baskets, taking a 10-8 advantage at 12:15. BC knocked down three baskets in a row to reclaim a 14-10 lead at 9:13. Georgetown had a one-point advantage at 3:12 before BC junior Mickel Picco sank two consecutive free throws and her first three-point shot of the game to put the Eagles up by six points. BC took the 29-23 lead into the locker room.

In the half, Swords and Stefanie Murphy combined for 7-for-11 shooting and a team-leading eight points a piece. BC shot 37 percent overall while Georgetown shot 35 percent. BC was dominant in the paint, scoring 18 points underneath the basket next to Georgetown's eight points. Hoya senior Karee Houlette made three of her four three-point attempts to lead her team with nine points at the half. Both teams combined for 18 turnovers.

BC took its first double-digit lead of the game at 14:50 in the second half after Swords hit her sixth basket. Georgetown climbed within five points, tallying the score at 45-40 with 10:10 to go. BC sophomore Jaclyn Thoman made two free throws to give her team their largest lead of 11 points at the 8:56 minute mark. BC never looked back and held a three-point advantage with 2:45 to go in the game when Swords brought down her 10th rebound. Brown tallied her fourth basket of the game to give the Eagles a two-basket lead at 2:09. BC knocked down all ten of its final free throws to end the game, moving past Georgetown by the 65-56 final score.

A total of 20 second chance points and 36 points in the paint boosted the Eagles throughout the game. BC finished 48 total rebounds to Georgetown's 28 boards. Houlett finished with a team-leading 15 total points.

The Eagles will continue their WNIT championship run against South Florida on Wednesday, April 1. The game will be held at Conte Forum at 7 p.m.