Lady Bulldogs win lucky 13th in a row

Celebrate Valentine's Day by completing perfect CUNYAC run

February 15, 2023 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The Brooklyn College women's basketball team completed a perfect 14-0 run through the CUNYAC regular season Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

Share this:

Trailing at halftime and in danger of losing for the first time in 2023 and against a league opponent as well, the Brooklyn College women’s basketball team summoned the tenacity that has made it the champions of CUNYAC each of the previous two years.

Gianna Gotti scored 21 points and handed out seven assists and Dasha Goodman and Ericka James added 20 points apiece as the trio celebrated Senior Night at the West Quad Center with a come-from-behind 85-70 victory over York College Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs (17-7) capped a breathtaking regular-season run that saw them win 13 in a row since a loss to non-conference rival Cabrini University on Dec. 30. They also nailed down the top seed in the upcoming CUNYAC Tournament with a perfect 14-0 mark in league action.

But it wasn’t easy.

York (11-11, 7-7 CUNYAC) came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 43-37 lead into intermission after nailing 5-of-10 shots from 3-point range, much to the disgruntlement of the 173 Bulldog fans in attendance.

BC went to work right after halftime, outscoring the rival Cardinals 21-8 to take the lead for good.

Gotti, a surefire CUNYAC Player of the Year frontrunner after winning conference player of the week honors for the fifth time earlier in the day, was limited to 9-of-25 shooting from the floor.

Goodman had no problem finding the range, however, knocking down 7-of-14 shots, including six 3-pointers.

Fellow senior starters Sarah James and Nancy Pham combined for 13 points as the Bulldogs guaranteed themselves the No. 1 spot in this weekend’s league championships, which kick off Saturday.

On the men’s side, Zuric Harvey capped a 22-point night with a layup just prior to the buzzer Tuesday night as the BC men edged York, 91-89.

Olawale Kila scored 17 points, Terrell Fullerton added 16 and Micaiah Goosby finished with 12 for the Bulldogs (5-19, 3-11), who squandered a 15-point halftime lead before pulling the game out on Harvey’s clutch basket.

***

Cristina Bermejo’s 24 points paced Long Island University to its second conference win of the year Saturday in Downtown Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

Graduate student Cristina Bermejo poured in a game-high 24 points Saturday as the Long Island University women stormed past Northeast Conference rival Wagner, 78-68, in front of 145 fans at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

Ashley Austin amassed 19 points and Emaia O’Brien added 12 off the bench for the Sharks (4-20, 2-10 NEC), who have split their last four contests and have four games remaining to chase a spot in the conference tournament.

They’ll continue that quest here in Downtown Brooklyn Thursday night against visiting Stonehill.

The St. Francis Brooklyn ladies had a three-game winning streak snapped with Saturday’s 69-61 loss at The ARC despite 17 points from Alyssa Fisher and 14 apiece by Angena Belloso and Zharia Hutchinson.

The Terriers (9-15, 8-4) will visit St. Francis (PA) on Thursday night in Loretto, Pennsylvania trying to fortify their third-place standing in the NEC.

Josiah Harris had 15 points and 10 rebounds, but the SFC men suffered a 62-51 defeat to Stonehill Saturday before 746 fans at Merkert Gymnasium on Easton, Massachusetts.

The Terriers (13-13, 6-7) also got 11 points off the bench from Zion Bethea as they slipped into seventh place in the NEC standings. They’ll try to get back on track at The ARC Thursday afternoon vs. St. Francis (PA).

Josiah Harris and the SFC Brooklyn Terriers will host St. Francis (PA) Thursday at The ARC. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

The LIU men dropped their fourth in a row, 58-46, at Wagner on Saturday in front of 1,218 fans at the Spiro Sports Center.

Jacob Johnson scored 12 points for the Sharks (3-22, 1-12), who outscored the Seahawks, 29-23, in the second half.
LIU will visit Stonehill Thursday night.