Basketball Spotlight: Devils Defeat Felician in CACC Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 2, 2005 By Bob Heller USIP Sports Information Director The University of the Sciences women's basketball team opened the post season with a 75-57 win over Felician College tonight at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia, PA. Leading the way for the Devils was Shelby Rance (So, Central Columbia HS/Bloomsburg, PA). Rance led all scorers with 25 points (17 in the first half). Shelby connected on 7 of 11 shots from the field and 10 of 12 from the free throw line. Joining Rance in double figures were Stephanie Watson (Jr., Archbishop Ryan HS/Warminster, PA) and Leah Shumoski (Jr., Marple-Newtown HS/ Broomall, PA). Watson, who had a career-high 25 points in the Devils last meeting vs. Felician on January 27, 2005 had 16 points tonight. Shumoski added 15 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Leah's five steals brings her total up to 104 this season, becoming only the second women's basketball player in school history to record 100 or more steals in a season. (Kim Koschineg had 115 in 97-98 and 143 in 98-99). Danielle Norman was the only player in double figures for the Golden Falcons, scoring 21 points and pulling down 17 rebounds. Felician kept things close in the first half and led early 12-11 before the Devils went on a 12-1 run to take a 10-point lead 23-13 midway through the period. The Devils still led by 10, 27-17 when Felician when on a 9-2 run to cut the lead to three 29-26 with four minutes to go in the half. The Devils closed out the half with a 17-2 run to take an 18-point lead into the lockerroom at the break, 46-28. Rance started things off with a three-point field goal while Shumoski followed with five straight points to boost the Devils lead back up to 11, 37-26. Rance followed with another basket and Rashanna Edwards (So, West Windsor-Plainsboro HS/Plainsboro, NJ) added a layup off her own steal to make the score 41-26. Edwards was intentionally fouled on the play and converted one of two free throws to make the score 42-26 with 1:00 left. Mary Beth Christian (Fr., Villa Joseph Marie/Warrington, PA) added a pair of free throws for USP's 15th straight point before Norman broke the run with two free throws of her own for the Golden Falcons. Watson closed out the half with a short jumper to make the score 46-28. The Devils opened the half outscoring the Golden Falcons 12-6 to take their biggest lead of the game, 58-34 with 14:31 left. Felician then went on a 12-3 run to cut the lead to 15 61-46 with 8:49 left. This was as close as the Golden Falcons would get as the Devils, closed out the game outscoring Felician 15-11, making the final score. 76-57. The Devils shot 42.9% from the field (24-56) while holding the Golden Falcons to just 28.8% shooting (21-73) from the field. Felician converted just two of 17 shots (11.8%)from three-point range and were 13 of 24 from the free throw line (54.2%). The took only four three point shots on the evening, making one and were 27 of 37 from the charity stripe (73.0%). Felician held the advantage on the boards, 52-44. (23-10 on the offensive glass). USP improves to 20-8 with the win and advances to the CACC semi-finals where they will take on #2 seed Bloomfield College on Friday afternoon at Caldwell College. Felician ends their season with an 11-17 record.