Box Score PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University women's basketball team remains perfect in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play after defeating the University of the Sciences 67-54 in a conference game Saturday afternoon in the Gallagher Center.
With the victory, the Rams improve to 9-5 overall and are 7-0 against the CACC this season. The win also gives head coach Tom Shirley his 650th career triumph. Shirley, who is in his 33rd year of coaching and has a career record of 650-312, is the 32nd coach in NCAA women's basketball history to reach 650—the fifth in Division II history.
Senior guard Megan Finn (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) scored a team-high 14 points, on 5-of-8 shooting, and dished out four assists in the win.
Sophomore forward Mary Newell (Lansdale, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) recorded 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to post her second double-double of the year. Newell had nine points and eight rebounds, seven on the defensive end, during the final 12:01 in which the Rams outscored the Devils (11-5, 6-3 CACC) 26-6 to erase a 48-41 deficit.
Junior guard Monica Schacker (Doylestown, Pa./Germantown Academy) netted 13 points, while senior guard Samantha Morris (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford) scored 11 points. Six of Morris' points came during the big run.
The Rams faced an early five-point deficit after Brianne Traub, who scored a game-high 15 points, made a basket and Kaitlyn Schmid made the 3-pointer to give USciences a 14-9 lead.
Philadelphia answered back with six straight points, capped off by a fast-break lay-up from junior guard Najah Jacobs (Philadelphia, Pa.) at the 11:14 mark, to take its first lead of the game (15-14).
Behind a made 3-pointer from Schmid and Jessica Sylvester, the Devils rattled off eight straight points to move ahead by seven (22-15). Philadelphia chipped away at the USciences' advantage and was able to retake the lead on a Schacker triple with 1:35 left in the first half that made the score 32-29.
After swapping the lead twice in the first 3:30 of the second half, the Devils outscored the Rams 12-4 to reclaim a seven-point lead (48-41). Isabella Ross led the charge with five of her nine points.
Philadelphia then started its big push when Newell made a lay-up at the 12:01 mark to spark a 13-0 surge over the next 3:47 to put the Rams up 54-48. With their lead trimmed to three (54-51) on A Camille McPherson free throw, the Rams would score the next 10 points to take a 64-51 lead with 3:26 left.
The Rams shot 52.9 percent (9-of-17) over the last 12:01, while forcing the Devils to shoot 11.1 percent (2-of-18).
For the game, Philadelphia connected on 45.6 percent (26-of-57) of its attempts. USciences finished up at 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the field. The Devils won the rebounding battle 40-38.
Philadelphia hits the road to take on Georgian Court in a CACC clash on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m.
