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WBB Cairn University Invitational
52
Bryn Athyn BAC 0-1,0-0 United East
63
Winner Medgar Evers ME 1-0,0-0 CUNYAC
Bryn Athyn BAC
0-1,0-0 United East
52
Final
63
Medgar Evers ME
1-0,0-0 CUNYAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Bryn Athyn BAC 15 12 13 12 52
Medgar Evers ME 14 19 16 14 63
52
Medgar Evers ME 1-1,0-0 CUNYAC
71
Winner Cairn Cairn 2-1,0-0 United East
Medgar Evers ME
1-1,0-0 CUNYAC
52
Final
71
Cairn Cairn
2-1,0-0 United East
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Medgar Evers ME 10 11 19 12 52
Cairn Cairn 25 13 16 17 71

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Cougars open 2023-2024 campaign by splitting pair of contests at Cairn University Invitational

The Medgar Evers women's basketball team split a pair of games during their 2023-2024 season-opening weekend of games at Cairn University's Mason Activity Center in Langhorne, PA. This past Friday evening, the Cougars defeated the Lions of Bryn Athyn by a score of 63-52. A day later, Medgar Evers suffered a 71-52 setback to the Highlanders of Cairn. With that output, the Cougars are 1-1 to start the season.

In Medgar Evers' impressive opening night victory against Bryn Athyn, newcomer Aaliyah Lyons turned some heads with a stellar performance, as she registered game-highs of 24 points, eight assists, and seven steals. She also collected three rebounds, as well. Veteran Mariame Gueye knocked down three triples, finishing with 13 points, a pair of rebounds, and two swatted shots, and standout Sheily Quezada, after posting 12 double-doubles a season ago, did so again, finishing with 10 points, a team-high 13 rebounds, a game-high five blocks, and five assists. Finally, it was Jennifer Metra putting forth a fine all-around performance, scoring eight points, snatching seven boards, and registering four steals.

Despite the loss for the Lions, Bryn Athyn was paced by Malia Bullock, as she scored a team-high 17 points while also recording a team-best four steals. No other Lions player scored in double figures, though Amber Souffrant and Kyleigh Monk scored eight and seven points, respectively. Alexa Osafo-Mensah finished with a game-high 14 rebounds, and Kaylia Duncan tied for the game-high seven steals while registering a team-high six assists.

Medgar Evers trailed 14-7 with 2:38 remaining in the opening quarter, before closing the period on a 7-1 run to pull to within a point at 15-14. Lyons scored three points, Metra a pair, and Andecia Liverpool had two to account for the visitors' points during the spurt.

In the second quarter, Gueye drained a trifecta 14 seconds in to give the Cougars a 17-15 edge. 1:35 later, Gueye did it again, swishing a shot from long range to increase Medgar Evers' advantage to five, 20-15. The Cougars built a lead as large as nine points, before taking a 33-27 edge into the locker room at the half.

The Lions were able to inch to within three points (36-33) with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter, but Medgar Evers responded, outscoring the Bryn Athyn 13-7 for the remaining seven minutes and change to take a 49-40 edge as the curtain dropped on the third period.

Bryn Athyn scored the first six points of the fourth quarter, courtesy of a pair of buckets by Xion Spence, and a basket from Bullock, to pull to within three at 49-46. Lyons would halt the Lions' run with a clutch three-point basket to put the Cougars back ahead by six (52-46) with just over seven minutes remaining in the game. After 2:15 of scoreless basketball, Bryn Athyn's Duncan converted on a layup to pull her team to within four at 52-48.

Over the final 4:49 of regulation, the Cougars' defense bogged down and shut down Bryn Athyn. The Lions connected on just one of 11 shots down the stretch, and Medgar Evers outscored the Lions 11-4 during that period. The Cougars would go on to win the contest, 63-52.

The Cougars shot the basketball very well, hitting on 24 of their 54 shot attempts (44.4 percent). Medgar Evers also converted on 45.5 percent of their attempts from long range (5-11). Bryn Athyn struggled all evening long with efficiency, hitting on 21 of 72 attempts from the floor (29.2 percent) and 19 percent from three-point range (4-21). The Lions also missed 10 free throws, as well (6-16, 37.5 percent). Medgar Evers held a slight 44-43 edge in the rebounding department, while also swatting seven shots to Bryn Athyn's three. The Lions registered 17 steals compared to 14 for the Cougars, and Bryn Athyn won the turnover battle, committing 25 miscues while forcing 31 Medgar Evers mistakes.

In the Cougars' loss to Cairn University, Metra connected on 11 of her 16 attempts from the charity stripe, finishing with a team-best 15 points. She also snatched six caroms while adding three assists. Quezada posted yet another double-double, scoring 14 points, grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds, blocking four shots, and tallying two steals, and Lyons finished with 14 points and a game-high five steals.

T'miya Bryant led the way for the hosts, as she drained seven of her 11 attempts from the floor to tie for the game-high of 15 points. She also added three rebounds, as well. Taylor Hinson finished with 14 points, a team-high eight boards, and three steals, and Ella Quince finalized her evening with 12 points, seven caroms, and team-highs of five assists and four steals.

Cairn opened the first quarter scoring seven unanswered points. As Medgar Evers got on the scoreboard, the Highlanders continued to add to their lead. Quince converted a layup and drained a jumper as the offense was rolling again. Austin knocked down a triple to start Cairn's scoring run.  Bryant hit a jumper in the closing seconds as the Highlanders finished the first quarter on a 10-0 run, taking a commanding 25-10 edge.

The Highlanders led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, and their advantage never dipped below 14 points, as Cairn held a 38-21 lead as time expired on the opening half.

Medgar Evers came out for the second half showing signs of life, as the Cougars scored the first six points of the third to pull to within 11, 38-27. Buckets by Metra and Gueye, and a pair of converted free throws by Lyons accounted for the Cougars' points during the spurt. Medgar continued to chip away, pulling to within eight (39-31) following a pair of made free throws by Metra with 5:53 remaining in the period.

Over the ensuing 4:43, Bryn Athyn built its lead back up, outscoring Medgar Evers 14-5 over that span to go back up 53-36. The Lions later led 54-38 in the closing seconds of the period, before a Metra basket brought Medgar to within 14 (54-40) as the quarter came to a close.

37 seconds into the fourth, a converted Quezada jumper brought the visitors to within 12 (54-42). That would be the closest the Cougars would get, however, as Cairn University went up by as many as 21 points before winning the game by 19 (71-52).

Neither team shot the ball well, with the Highlanders converting on just 39.1 percent of their attempts from the floor (27-69) compared to a 31.3 percent conversion rate for the Cougars (15-48). Cairn University dominated on the glass, snatching 53 rebounds, while Medgar Evers had 36. The Highlanders held a modest 15-12 edge in the steals category, while also registering 19 assists compared to seven for the Cougars. Medgar held a 7-3 edge in the swatted shots column, and Bryn Athyn narrowly won the turnover battle, committing 31 miscues, while the visitors had 33.

The Cougars will return to action on Tuesday evening, as Medgar Evers will welcome Farmingdale State College to the Cougars Cave for their home-opener. Start-time is scheduled for 6:00pm.
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