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BLOOMSBURG, PA -
Alyssa Mack (Walnutport, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) splashed in 17 points as the Bloomsburg University women's basketball team closed out the 2019 regular season with a 68-63 win over visiting Shippensburg Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Huskies earn a share of the 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East championship, and will be the No. 2 seed in next week's PSAC Tournament.
Bloomsburg finished the season with a record of 19-9 overall, and were tied with Kutztown for the best record in the PSAC East at 14-6. The 19 wins are the most for the Huskies since the 2014-15 season, which also marks the last time Bloomsburg won the PSAC East crown. The Huskies will have a bye in the first round of the PSAC Tournament, and will host the winner of West Chester/Millersville in the quarterfinals on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. The win also gives Bloomsburg a perfect record of 13-0 at the Nelson Field House this season.Â
Prior to Saturday's tip, Mack and fellow senior
Marissa Molnar (Erie, Pa./McDowell) were honored for their outstanding careers with the Huskies. Mack ranks 22nd on Bloomsburg's all-time scoring list (1,095 career points) and sixth in career made three-pointers (162), while Molnar has tallied 501 points. With a made three on Saturday, Molnar passed Michelle Simons (1998-02) for 13th on the Huskies all-time made triples list with 103.Â
Mack and Molnar celebrated senior day in appropriate fashion, combining for 22 points and three made three's on the day. Mack was 4-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-5 from behind the arc for her team-high 17 points, while Molnar added three rebounds and three assists.
Taylor Montana (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) was equally impressive for the Huskies, notching her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Megan Brandt (Lebanon, Pa./Northern Lebanon) was the third Bloomsburg player to reach double figures scoring, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds.
Trailing by five with 6:06 to play in the fourth quarter, the Raiders went on a 6-1 run to tie it at 63-63 with 3:37 remaining. The comeback attempt would end there, however, as the Huskies held Shippensburg scoreless for the remainder of the game. a
Bella Ricci (Etters, Pa./Red Land) jumper gave Bloomsburg a two-point lead with 1:42 to play, and a trio of free throws from
Alyssa Mack (Walnutport, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) would salt away the five-point win.
Bloomsburg's vaunted defense was on full display Saturday, limiting the Raiders to just 32.1% (17-of-53) shooting from the field, and 2-of-11 (18.2%) from three-point territory. The Huskies out-rebounded Shippensburg 39-37, and forced 18 Raiders turnovers.
Ariel Jones, the leading scorer in the PSAC entering Saturday's contest, tallied a game-high 22 points, but was just 6-of-18 from the floor and 2-of-9 from deep. Aunbrielle Green added 21 points and seven rebounds, but was limited to just five points in the second half. As a team, Bloomsburg outscored the Raiders 32-22 in the second half.
The Huskies opponent in Wednesday's quarterfinals matchup will be determined Monday, when third-seeded West Chester hosts sixth-seeded Millersville. Bloomsburg split a pair of regular season games with West Chester (including a 76-71 home win back on February 2) and Millersville (including a 74-65 home win on January 16) this year.
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