Lady Bulldogs aim for CUNYAC three-peat

Player of the Year Gotti spearheads BC's bid for another title

February 22, 2023 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Gianna Gotti and the Brooklyn College women's basketball team will begin their CUNYAC title quest at the West Quad Center Wednesday. Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

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The Brooklyn College women’s basketball team is still undefeated in 2023.

But the Lady Bulldogs’ next loss will end an otherwise historic campaign.

After winning 13 straight games in the new year and going unbeaten in conference play, the Bulldogs will begin their bid for a third consecutive CUNYAC title and automatic bid to the Division III NCAA Tournament Wednesday within the friendly confines of the West Quad Gymnasium.

Spearheaded by newly minted CUNYAC Player of the Year Gianna Gotti, the top-seeded Bulldogs (17-7, 14-0 CUNYAC) will host No. 5 York College (12-11, 7-7), hoping to keep their record blemish-free since a 75-67 setback at Cabrini University in Radnor, Pennsylvania on Dec. 30.

BC completed its perfect run through conference regular-season play on Valentine’s Day, celebrating its senior class with an 85-70 triumph over York, which actually held a six-point lead at halftime before the Bulldogs rallied late.

Gotti, who finished seventh in the nation in scoring with 22.0 points per game and led the country with 140 steals this year, also surpassed the 1,000-point plateau for her BC career in just two years at the Brooklyn school.

Named CUNYAC Player of the Week five times this season, the 5-foot-5 Oyster Bay, N.Y., native certainly wasn’t alone in guiding head coach Alex Lang’s unit back to the brink of yet another league crown.

Lang was named CUNYAC Coach of the Year and fellow seniors Ericka James and Dasha Goodman were also honored at the conference’s All-Star luncheon last weekend.

James made the First Team CUNYAC squad along with Gotti for the second straight year and Goodman received the league’s Sportsmanship Team award.

“Dasha has been a vital part of the Bulldogs’ success over the past three seasons, playing whatever role we ask of her,” Lang said. “While battling injuries the last two seasons, she has always been a loyal teammate and true competitor.”

If the Bulldogs advance to the CUNYAC Final for the third straight year, the game will be at CCNY Friday evening at 5:30 p.m.

Alyssa Fisher reached the 1,000-point plateau for St. Francis Brooklyn last Thursday at St. Francis (PA). Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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On the local Division I scene, senior guard Alyssa Fisher reached 1,000 career points for St. Francis Brooklyn last Thursday, but the Terriers suffered their second straight loss, 74-56, at Northeast Conference rival St. Francis (PA).

Fisher finished with 19 points for SFC (9-16, 8-5), which is tied for third place in the conference standings with Merrimack.

The Terriers will try to get back on track when they return to action Thursday night against visiting Sacred Heart at The ARC.

The LIU women’s team had its two-game winning streak snapped Saturday night with a 61-58 defeat at St. Francis (PA) despite a team-high 19 points from Ashley Austin.

Shyan Mwai added 14 points for the Sharks (5-21, 3-11), who are still in last place in the NEC after splitting their last six conference contests following an 0-8 start in league action.

LIU will visit Merrimack on Saturday afternoon in North Andover, Massachusetts.

On the men’s side, the Sharks dropped a 93-82 decision to St. Francis University on Saturday afternoon at the Steinberg Wellness Center in Downtown Brooklyn.

Sophomore guard Andre Washington put up a career-best 37 points on 15-of-26 shooting, including 6-of-11 from 3-point range.

Andre Washington’s 37-point outburst wasn’t enough to lead LIU past St. Francis (PA) on Saturday afternoon in Downtown Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

R.J. Greene added 21 points off the bench for the Sharks (3-24, 1-14), who will host Merrimack on Saturday in their second finale.

SFC Brooklyn celebrated Senior Day at The ARC last Thursday afternoon, but was unable to get past St. Francis (PA) in a 72-64 loss.

Zion Bethea poured in 20 points in a reserve role and Josiah Harris finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Terriers (13-14, 6-8), who will try to nail down an NEC Tournament spot on the road.

SFC will visit Sacred Heart on Thursday night before closing out the regular season at Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday afternoon.