Brooklyn, NY | The College of Staten Island Women's Basketball team started their season-long win streak against Brooklyn College in mid-January, and rolled to their 10th-straight against the same Bulldogs team tonight, surviving a 62-56 affair to run their record to 15-8 this season.  The Bulldogs, who saw their eight-game win streak halted, fell to 16-6.

CSI was forced to come from behind in this one, but not before going up by a wide margin only to see Brooklyn rally back to take a fourth quarter lead in the hard-fought, defensive, affair.

Before CSI had to stage their comeback, they owned the opening minutes, burying BC into an early hole.  The Bulldogs misfired on their first eight shots and committed five turnovers in the game's first 5:58, as CSI opened up an 8-0 run thanks to lay-ups by Diana Todaro, Megan McEwan and Jada Rogers.  Brooklyn would finally get on the board thanks to an Ericka James bucket, but CSI answered with another 7-0 run, finished off by a Kristina Arvelo three to give CSI a 15-2 edge.  With the clock winding down, Todaro raced in for another basket to give CSI their biggest lead at the end of the first quarter, 19-5.

The break proved beneficial to the Bulldogs as Kailyn Richburg and Nancy Pham buried threes to knock the lead down to start the second frame.  CSI went back up by double-digits on five different occasions, the last at 4:51 when Brianna Robisky hit on a jumper.  BC threatened from there, using a Taylor George lay-up to cut the deficit to 28-23 with 1:38 to play in the half.  Brooklyn, however, could not capitalize, as McEwan would pop in a couple of free-throws before Arvelo would hit a buzzer-beating three to put CSI back up by 10, 33-23, at intermission.

The Dolphins would go up by as many as 12 in the third stanza, but with seven minutes to play in the third, BC started to make their move and slowly cut into the lead.  While CSI suffered from cold shooting and the turnover bug, the Bulldogs pieced together a numbing 16-4 run over the final seven minutes to take a 44-43 lead at the end of the third quarter.  Richburg was the catalyst with three baskets in the run, including the final two to give BC their first lead literally at the third quarter buzzer.

With 10 minutes to determine a winner, CSI did a nice job of not allowing the Bulldogs to get comfortable with the lead.  In a big twist, BC's Chanel Jemmott gave BC a 46-43 lead but she picked up a technical on the play, and CSI cut the lead thanks to the ensuing free-throws, disrupting the momentum.  Kayla Schmitter, who made the freebies, then connected on a lay-in to give CSi back the lead at 7:48. 

That's when the game reached its most critical phase.  Sarah Labiner gave BC a 48-47 lead and the Bulldogs had a chance to grow the lead as CSI would miss their next shot and commit two turnovers on their next three possessions, but each time BC could not convert, and with 4:46 to go, CSI raced out on a 9-1 run over the next three minutes as Schmitter and McEwan raced in for transition baskets.  

In the waning moments, BC made things interesting when down by eight, Taylor George connected on a pair of freebies and then Ericka James connected on a three with 15 seconds left to make it 59-56.  McEwan responded with two huge free-throws, and BC ran out of hope with a long miss in the waning seconds as CSI hung on for the 62-56 win.

CSI, which committed 29 turnovers, shot 45.8% in the game and went 11-18 from the line in the final quarter to solidify the win.  McEwan led the way with 19 points, while Todaro connected on 13 points with 10 rebounds, while Schmitter added 10.  Deidre Foster led the team with 11 rebounds.  BC was paced by George's and Richburg's 11 points each while Ericka James and Dasha Goodman each had 10.

For the Dolphins, they will take the season series from the Bulldogs, having beaten Brooklyn earlier this season in Staten Island, 83-66.  

CSI has lost just one game this season to a CUNYAC side, and they will get to avenge that loss when they host Hunter College on Wednesday, February 12, at 5:30 PM, against the defending CUNYAC champs.