Wilkes Women's Basketball Erases Deficit Before Falling Late to FDU-Florham in Finale
MADISON, N.J. – The Wilkes University women's basketball team trailed by 12 towards the end of the third quarter before climbing all the way back to take a 72-71 advantage halfway through the fourth quarter. FDU-Florham regained the lead with just over a minute remaining in the game on their way to an 84-80 victory to close out both teams 2018-2019 seasons.
Wilkes finishes the season 8-17 overall and 4-10 in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom), doubling their win total from a year ago under first-year head coach Tara Macciocco.
The Colonels held a slim advantage for most of the opening quarter and broke a tie when Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) made two free throws to give Wilkes a 12-10 lead with 3:35 remaining in the first. FDU-Florham responded with an 11-5 run to close out the first 10 minutes up 21-17.
A Vanessa Whitecavage (Shenandoah, PA/Marian Catholic) layup knotted things back up, 23-23, at the 6:33 mark of the second quarter. The lead would change hands for most of the remainder of the quarter before the Devils went into halftime on a 9-3 run to hold a 43-37 advantage.
Gabby Smicherko (Edwardsville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) made a layup at the 7:07 mark of the third to cut the deficit to two at 49-47 before FDU-Florham went on a 14-4 run to push the score to 63-51 with less than a minute left in the quarter. A three-point play by Gianna Roberts (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) cut the margin to nine heading into the fourth.
Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) hit a three-pointer on the Colonels first possession of the quarter to cut the deficit to six at 63-57. Whitecavage hit another one from beyond the arc before a pair of Roberts free throws cut the margin to just one at 68-67 with 6:38 remaining.
Roberts went on a 7-0 run of her own with a layup and three-pointer to give the navy and gold their first lead since the 4:51 mark of the second quarter at 72-71 with 4:26 left in the contest.
A Caster jumper gave Wilkes a three-point advantage at 76-73 with 2:31 left on the clock. After the Devils made a jump shot of their own to reclaim a 79-78 lead with 41 second remaining, Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross) got to the free throw line and connected on both attempts to give the Colonels an 80-79 lead with 37 seconds left in regulation.
The Devils responded by getting to the charity stripe themselves and making both free throws to take back the lead at 81-80 with 25 seconds left.
After a timeout, Wilkes missed a shot on the following possession and the Devils made their free throws in the closing seconds to hand the Colonels an 84-80 road loss.
A pair of seniors had great performances in their last game for the navy and gold as Caster finished with a double-double, leading the team with 20 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Giordano registered 13 points while nearly missing out on a double-double of her own with nine boards.
The Colonels outshot the Devils from the field and three-point land but FDU-Florham was more efficient from the free throw line in the narrow victory.
