Box Score Buffalo, NY – The D'Youville women's basketball team won their third consecutive game and fifth in their last six on Wednesday evening in heroic fashion as the Spartans defeated the Pitt.-Bradford Panthers by the final score of 77-75.
D'Youville dominated the first quarter over the AMCC's second ranked team, led by junior Jean-Ann Korona (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville). Korona scored the first basket of the game after drilling a three, followed by four points from Danette Laguerre (Buffalo, NY/Hutch Tech) and the Spartans were out to a 7-0 lead. Both Korona and Laguerre would then combine for an additional seven points and with 4:36 remaining and D'Youville led 14-4.
With under three minutes left in the first quarter, Magan Magee (Ellenburg Center, NY/Northern Adirondack) hit a three in addition with two free throws from Darian Evans (Irving, NY/Lake Shore) to give the Spartans a 21-9 lead after one. Korona nearly recorded a double-double after 10 minutes of play, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
Bradford's offense began to come alive in the second quarter. The Panthers scored the first five points of the quarter and brought their deficit to single digits with 7:24 to go in the half. Colleen Wirth (Elma, NY/Iroquois) and Ali Cochrane (New Port Richey, FL/Gulf) extended the team's lead to 13 before Bradford would make at the end of the half. In a matter of 1:08, the Panthers scored eight points to close out the half and trail at halftime 35-28.
The Spartans held a nine point lead after a Wirth layup just 2:08 into the second half, but the Panthers would draw to within four just over a minute later. Bradford would hang around the D'Youville lead until 2:13 left in the third quarter. From a four point lead, the women would score 12 points in that final 2:13, highlighted by a buzzer-beating three pointer from Alexis Smith (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg) to end the quarter and the Spartans took a 61-46 lead into the fourth.
It appeared that D'Youville would run away with the game in the fourth quarter after Korona scored the only basket in the first 1:52 of play. However, the Panther's shooters would heat up and they drew to within three at the 3:03 mark. Bradford's next basket made it a one point game with 2:24 in the game as they looked to grab the lead for the first time in the game.
Magee gave the Spartans a 74-70 lead with 1:01 in the game but the Panthers would score on their following possession. With 0:13 remaining, Bradford scored a layup to tie the game and was fouled and went to the lie with the opportunity to take the lead. The Bradford player made her free throw and the Panthers took a 75-74 with less than 0:15 remaining in the game.
On their next possession, the Spartans turned the ball over and had to foul, sending the Panther's player to the line. The Bradford player missed both free throws and the Spartans had a chance to win the game on their next possession. With 0:00.4 left on the game clock, Cochrane entered the game for one last shot. She received the inbound pass and sank a three pointer as the buzzer went off, giving the Spartans the 77-75 win in thrilling fashion.
Jean-Ann Korona was dominate on both ends of the court, recording her third straight double-double with her team high 23 points and career high 18 rebounds. Alexis Smith added 12 points and seven rebounds in the game while Magan Magee dished out a team high seven assists, adding nine points.
Colleen Wirth continued to flourish in her new starting role, scoring 14 points with three rebounds and two assists. The game's hero Ali Cochrane finished with a career high 10 points.
The women will host Penn State-Altoona on Saturday, February 13th at 3pm for their last home game of the season. D'Youville's seniors will be honored before the game for their careers as Spartans.
