Box Score

Staten Island, NY --- Senior forward Justine O'Callahan recorded a double-double netting a game-high 19 points, while collecting 11 rebounds, to lead the Brooklyn College Women's Basketball team to a 54-43 win over the Dolphins of the College of Staten Island in a key City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) South Division match-up earlier today at the CSI Sports & Recreation Center.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 8-4 overall and 3-0 in the CUNYAC; while the Dolphins fall to 5-7 overall and 2-1 in the league. BC is now in sole possession of first place in the CUNYAC South Division.

Senior guard Lauren Plagainos chipped in with 14 points, to go along with five rebounds and four steals, while classmate Melissa St. Louis added a game-best 13 rebounds, to go with seven points.

For CSI, Nikki Fabozzi led the Dolphins with 12 points, while Nicole Quattrocchi added 10 points.

After a free throw from Quattrocchi gave the home Dolphins an early four point advantage, 9-5, at the 15:19 mark of the first half, the Bulldogs jumped out on a 12-0 run to take a 17-9 lead with 7:23 left before the halftime break. Plagainos sparked the run accounting for seven of the 12 points.

CSI would answer quickly scoring the next eight points, six of which coming from Jaclyn Tocco, to tie the game at 17-17 at the 5:40 mark, for the second time in the half. After a three-pointer from freshman guard Nicole Francomano gave BC a five point lead, 25-20 with 1:16 remaining, the Dolphins finished the half on a 5-0 run as the teams headed to the locker rooms knotted up at 25-25.

The start of the second half saw both teams exchange baskets early on.  Following a three from CSI's Fabozzi that tied the game for the fifth time at 36 all with 11:42 left in the game, BC used a 9-0 run, which was capped off by a three-point play by Francomano to take a 45-36 lead with 8:14 remaining before the final buzzer.

A layup from Plagainos would later extend BC's lead to double digits, 49-39, with just 5:18 left in the game. The Bulldogs would lead by as many as 12 points on two occasions, as BC would cruise to its 54-43 victory.

Brooklyn controlled the glass out-rebounding CSI 51-37. The stingy Bulldogs defense also forced the Dolphins into 29 turnovers, while accounting for 15 steals. Junior guard Charnelle Saint Laurent picked up a game-high five steals leading the way for BC.

BC shot 35.2% (19-54) from the field in the game, while converting just 21.4% (3-14) from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs also struggled from the free throw line, going 13-for-29 (44.8%).

CSI was held to just 22.6% (12-53) shooting from the field, while hitting 31.3% (5-16) from three. The Dolphins converted on 66.7% (14-21) from the charity stripe.

Brooklyn returns to action on Monday, January 9th, as the Bulldogs will hit the road to take on Rutgers-Newark. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.