BUFFALO, NY -- The La Roche women's basketball team picked up a big victory defeating Medaille 81-69 in an AMCC Championship rematch. The victory runs the Redhawks win-streak to three and they are now 3-1 in the AMCC and just a game back of Mt. Aloysius.
The Redhawks quieted the Medaille home crowd, running out to an 18-6 lead. Darrian Johnson hit a pair of three-pointers to open an 8-2 lead and Jazmyne Boyd and Dalesza Regan got involved with six and four points over the course of the run.
The Mavericks used the free throw line to cut the deficit back to seven with 1:09 left in the first. Stephanie Thomas responded with a layup and Nia Thomas added a pair of free throws for a 23-11 lead after the first.
Medaille got within seven points with 3:22 left in the half but the Redhawks scored seven straight for a commanding 30-16 lead. Jenna Cole sparked the run with a jumper and Nia Thomas followed with a layup and three-pointer.
The Redhawks went cold and were held without a basket for over four minutes. Medaille again inched their way back to a seven point deficit but La Roche closed the half on a 9-3 run and a 38-25 lead at intermission.
La Roche maintained a double-digit lead and stretched it to twenty-two points at the end of the third quarter. The Redhawks scored twenty-nine points in the quarter, their most this season
La Roche made their move at the end of the quarter, closing the third on a 7-0 run. Sidney Farmer capped the run burying a three off a Nicole Boda steal to put La Roche up 67-45.
Nia Thomas put the Redhawks up what looked like an insurmountable twenty-six point lead with 5:18 left. Medaille put forth their best effort to come back but it was too much and La Roche earned the big conference win.
The Redhawks had their best shooting performance of the season hitting 33 of 64 shots (52%). They outscored Medaille by twenty-two points in the paint and 26-3 in bench points.
Johnson was terrific all around finishing with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Cole, the AMCC's leader in field goal percentage, registered her first double-double as a Redhawk with 14 points and 10 boards. Nia Thomas tied her career-high with 14 points and Shaundrea Butler dished out 6 assists.
La Roche was excellent in defending Dani Reiwald, the league's top rebounder and second leading scorer. Reinwald had her lowest rebounding total and second lowest point total of the season.
The Redhawks will travel to Juniata on Monday. Juniata is a perfect 8-0 and ranked twentieth in the nation.