Devils Defense Does in Deacons

Defense played in key role as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia held Bloomfield College to just 26.7% shooting in the second half as overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat the Deacons, 64-53 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference women's basketball game in Bloomfield, New Jersey tonight.

The win improves the Devils record to 4-4 overall and 2-4 in league play. Bloomfield falls to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in league play.

Shelby Rance (Sr., Central Columbia HS/Bloomsburg, Pa.) led the Devils with 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field. Lori Sedina (Sr., Lower Cape May HS (NJ)/Springfield, Pa.) added 13 points, connecting on five of eight shots from the field while Allison Weiss (So., Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Sedina also dished out four assists while Rance recorded three steals and a pair of blocked shots.

Bloomfield got a double-double from Marissa Franklin as she scored 22 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Ciera Darby joined Franklin in double figures with 11 points.

While the Devils were holding the Deacons to just 8-for-30 shooting in the second half, they were connecting regularly on the offensive end, making 13 of 23 shots in the period (56.5%).

For the game the Devils shot 47.9% (23-48) while Bloomfield also made 23 field goals, but took 20 more shots in the process to finish the game shooting 33.8% (23-68). USP also took advantage of a 14-18 effort from the free throw line (77.8%) while Bloomfield made just 6 of 14 (42.9%). The Deacons held the advantage on the boards 42-34 (23 offensive boards) while both teams committed 19 turnovers (16 assists for USP, 6 for Bloomfield).

Bloomfield led by seven at the break, 32-25 and increased the lead to eight early in the period, 35-28 on a Franklin layup. The Devils used an 8-4 run to cut the lead in half and trailed 39-35 at the 15:23 mark when they turned momentum their way, going on a 9-2 run to take a 44-41 lead at the 8:45 mark. Davitra Goode (Sr., Central Islip HS/Central Islip, N.Y.) started the run off with a short jumper and added a layup after Bloomfield's Shantae Barnes recorded a layup of her own. Weiss' layup at the 10:41 mark tied the game at 41-all. Rance followed with a free throw and Shay Nelson (Jr., Cumberland Regional HS/Woodbury, N.J.) added a layup to complete the run.

Bloomfield retook the lead, 49-46 with an 8-2 run, capped by Tania Greenleaf's three point field goal at the 5:18 mark. Rance countered with her third 'trey' of the game to knot the score again at 49-all on the Devils next possession. Tiffany Musgrove added a layup and Rance followed with a running jumper to tie the game again at 51-51 with 3:55 left. The Devils then scored the next six points, getting layups from Rance and Weiss and a pair of free throws from Rashanna Edwards (Sr., West Windsor-Plainsboro HS/Cherry Hill, Pa.) (7 points) to lead 57-51 with just 48 ticks left on the clock. USP made seven of eight free throws in the final 30 seconds, outscoring the Deacons 7-1 to make the final score 64-53.

In the first half, the Devils led for most of the way and held their largest margin of the period, six points, 21-15 with 9:23 left before the Deacons went on a 10-2 run to take the lead 25-23 with 4:38 left. The Deacons finished the half with a 7-2 run to take a 32-25 lead at the break, outscoring USP 17-4 over the final 9:23 of the period.

The Devils will return to action on December 28, 2006 when they host Chestnut Hill College. Tip off is slated for 6 p.m.