For Immediate Release

February 26, 2012

Additional reporting help provided by Northeast-10 Member Athletics Communications Staffs

Each of the top four seeds advanced to the semifinal round of the 2012 Northeast-10 Women's Basketball Championship this afternoon.  Top-seeded Bentley University will host fourth-seeded Franklin Pierce University in one semifinal matchup, while second-seeded Southern Connecticut State University will host third-seeded Pace University in the other semifinal game.

Both semifinal matchups will take place Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Game Recaps

#1 Bentley 67, #8 American International 53

Sophomore forward Lauren Battista, the conference Player of the Year, scored 13 of her team-high 15 points in the second half and four teammates added between 9 and 13 points as top-seeded Bentley University topped number eight American International College, 67-53, in the quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball Championship Sunday afternoon at the Dana Center.

Bentley, the sixth-ranked team in Division II, reached the 25-win milestone for the 18th time in 25 years and advanced to host fourth-seeded Franklin Pierce University in Thursday's semifinals. After trailing much of the first half, the 25-3 Falcons closed out the first half with a 13-5 spurt over the final seven-and-a-half minutes to take a 31-29 lead into the break. That charge featured junior forward Caleigh Crowell, with eight points, including a pair of three-pointers. She connected three times in the opening stanza from outside the arc and led all first-half scorers with 12 points.

#2 So. Connecticut 64, #7 Saint Rose 60, Overtime

Second-seeded So. Connecticut survived and advanced in the quarterfinal round of the 2012 Northeast-10 Championship, knocking off seventh-seeded Saint Rose 64-60 in overtime today at Moore Fieldhouse. 

The Owls outrebounded Saint Rose 58-49, including pulling down 31 offensive rebounds in the win.  So. Connecticut used a balanced offensive attack as four players scored in double figures, led by All-Conference performer Sylvonya Moore, who had 17 points to lead all scorers.

#3 Pace 60, #6 Assumption 50

Third-seeded Pace knocked off sixth-seeded Assumption 60-50 in a Northeast-10 Championship quarterfinal game at the Goldstein Center in Pleasantville, N.Y.  The win was the 20th of the season for the Setters, and marked the 12th time that Pace head coach Carrie Seymour reached the 20-win plateau. 

Pace started the game on an 8-0 run and would never trail en route to the semifinals. The Setter were led by Kerri White, who had twelve points, six rebounds, and six steals in the win.  All-Conference first team selection Brittany Shields had nine points and fourteen rebounds in the win.

#4 Franklin Pierce 85, #5 So. New Hampshire 66

Franklin Pierce started the game on an 18-0 run over the game's first seven minutes, and would never look back as they cruised to a Northeast-10 Conference Championship quarterfinal win 85-66 over So. New Hampshire.  Senior Marielle Giroud led all scorers with 27 points for the Ravens, including 20 in the first half.  Classmate Jewel White recorded a 'double-double' with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

So. New Hampshire was led by Michelle DeRoma, who had 15 points.  Sloane Sorrell chipped in 14 in the loss.  The Ravens shot a blistering 55% (29-53) from the field for the game, including a white-hot 62 percent in the first half en route to the 19-point win.

Northeast-10 Championship - Semifinals

Thursday, March 1 - 7:00 p.m.
#4 Franklin Pierce at #1 Bentley
#3 Pace at #2 So. Connecticut

For updates throughout the Northeast-10 Championship, be sure to follow the Northeast-10 on Twitter (@TheNortheast10).

The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 5,500 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

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