Golden Bears Women’s Basketball Take Down Suffolk for First CCC Win

BOSTON, Mass. (November 30, 2022) – The Western New England women's basketball team had their first conference play on the road where they defeated the Suffolk University Rams 62-52 to go 1-0 in the CCC.

Records:

• Western New England: 2-5
• Suffolk University: 4-2

How It Happened: Abby Garaban hit the first bucket for the Golden Bears to tie up the game. The Rams went up by two, and WNE had it even. They took their first lead halfway through quarter one from a pair of free-throws shot in by Garaban, 8-7. Some free-throws for Suffolk pushed the lead back in their favor, and soon they had gained a seven-point lead with an eight-point run, 15-8, 3:08 on the clock. Shaina Cooney knocked in two layups and Garaban with a three-point shot tied the score, and a free-throw from Caitlyn Hunt gave WNE the leading score into the second quarter, 16-15.

Hunt hit a basket to maintain the Golden Bears lead in the start of the second, and it was a one-point game for two minutes of play before the Rams hit a three to re-gain the lead. It only took one trip down the court for WE to have it back even 20-20. It was the Rams turn to hold a one-point lead until hitting another three to go up four with 4:37 before the half. The Rams reached their largest lead again of seven, 31-24, and it got the Golden Bears to fight back. Shaina Cooney started the scoring that led to the comeback and tied the score with two seconds on the clock before halftime 32-32.

Suffolk came right out of the half and took the lead back. It took almost four minutes before the Golden Bears had it tied again off some foul shots from Garaban. The score remained tied at 36 for two more minutes of the quarter and the Rams hit a layup to go up two. Foul shots tied the score, and Erin Reen stole back the Golden Bears game lead. They held Suffolk to 38 points for three minutes who only put in one more basket for the quarter. The Golden Bears entered the fourth leading 46-40.

It was the Golden Bears to get after it early in this quarter. A jump shot from Emma Elrod and another from Colleen Furlong put the Golden Bears ahead by 10. The Rams laid a basket in, and Elrod answered with another jump shot. A three-pointer was shot in by the Rams, and Cooney and Emma Kahn had consecutive layups, now it was an 11-point ball game 56-45. The Golden Bears held a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. Cooney and Furlong knocked in the final baskets for Golden Bears, and they earned their first CCC win of the season against the Rams, 62-52.

On the Court:

• As a team, the Golden Bears shot 48.1 percent from the paint, 10.0 percent from three-point line, 45.0 percent from the foul line, while gathering 44 rebounds, 16 assists, five steals, and one block.
• The Rams had 32.1 percent from the floor, 17.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 61.9 percent from the free throw line while grabbing 31 rebounds, nine steals, five assists, and two blocks.
• The Golden Bears were led by Shaina Cooney who had 20 points, nine rebounds, and one assist. She went 9-12 from inside the arc, and 2-4 from the foul line.
• Abby Garaban added 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Up Next: The Golden Bears have a series of home games up until winter break. The first one is against the University of New England this Saturday, December 3, starting at 1 p.m. for another conference game.

Following the women's Basketball game on Saturday, the men's team tips-off at 3 p.m.