PITTSBURGH, PA – The La Roche women's basketball team hung on to top AMCC undefeated Hilbert 58-56. The Redhawks improve to 4-5 on the season and 2-1 against conference competition.
The Redhawks played a terrific first quarter jumping out to 17-4 lead after one.
La Roche climbed ahead 7-0 forcing Hilbert to burn an early timeout. Jenna Cole and Shaundrea Butler converted steals into transition baskets and Darrian Johnson drained a wide open three. A Jazmyne Boyd three-pointer extended the lead to 10-2. Nia Thomas added a three-pointer late in the quarter while Sidney Farmer and Nicole Boda hit jumpers.
The Redhawks held Hilbert to just 1 of 17 from the field. La Roche shot a solid 40% and hit 3 of 6 shots from distance.
Hilbert came out of the break with six straight points. A Dalesza Regan putback limited the damage but the Hawks got within three forcing La Roche to take a timeout. The Redhawks went cold in the second quarter and scored just two points over the first eight minutes. Hilbert tied it but two straight Butler buckets put La Roche ahead 23-19 and that score held into halftime.
Boyd followed a Hilbert score with a three-pointer and a 26-21 Redhawk lead to start the third. La Roche built a seven point lead on a Darrian Johnson steal and a Boyd fastbreak layup.
Both teams traded baskets before Jenna Cole put the Redhawks back up seven bringing down two missed shots and burying the third attempt.
Butler drew a charge to deny a Hilbert possession and then found Nia Thomas for a three on the other end. The Hawks however cut it back to four and La Roche entered the fourth with a 44-40 lead.
Hilbert scored four of the first five points to open the fourth. A Boyd three pointer put the Redhawks back up four and three possessions later a Johnson three put them up five.
The Hawks again worked their way within one and took their first lead of the game with 2:48 left.
Johnson answered with a jumper from the elbow and La Roche forced Hilbert turnovers on the next two possessions.
Johnson again showed senior poise driving through the lane and hitting a floater with 57 seconds left.
Hilbert called a timeout with 28 seconds left and down three. Hilbert got within one but tough Redhawk defense forced twenty-four seconds to come off the clock. Hilbert immediately fouled but had two to give leaving just 0.6 seconds while Johnson stepped to the line. Johnson made one of two and La Roche hung on.
Johnson scored 13 points and dished out 5 assists. Boyd tallied 13 points and hit 3 for 4 three-pointers. Cole finished just short of a double-double with 9 points and 11 rebounds.
La Roche is off this week and will travel to Medaille on Saturday. Gametime is 4pm.