Staten Island, NY | On a night when the College of Staten Island women's basketball team honored their three graduating seniors, the Dolphins ripped through visiting Baruch College to wrap up their 2019-20 season, 82-56.  The Dolphins improved to 17-8 overall to end the season while Baruch finished 14-10 to end their regular season campaign.  By virtue of their 15-1 record against CUNYAC teams this season and wrapping up their first-ever campaign as an NCAA Division II institution, the Dolphins celebrated by cutting down the nets at game's end.

Inspired by the words that commemorated the careers of their three seniors, Lina Bitar, Elena Demontreux and Diana Todaro, CSI came out with a big lead and never looked back, constantly building on their lead throughout the evening.

Neither team started strong, as Demontreux scored the game's first points via the arc, and fellow senior Bitar added another to give CSI a 5-0 advantage after the first four minutes.  Baruch popped in a bucket after missing their first eight shots, but the Dolphins then posed a 7-0 run to extend to 12-2, powered by jumpers from Megan McEwan, Brianna Robisky and Jada Rogers.  CSI equaled the 10-point lead on another two occasions before a three by Nia Dawson made it a 19-12 game at the end of the first stanza.

Baruch started slow in the first quarter, and then started slowly again in the second, as CSI used their domination on the glass and their interior play to mount an 8-0 run to start the second frame, building their lead up to 27-12, finished off by a three from Kristina Arvelo.  After Baruch scored a basket, CSI ripped off another 7-0 run to go up, 34-14, again finished off by an Arvelo three.  The Dolphins continued to stay near that lead, and later, consecutive baskets by Rogers gave CSI their biggest lead of the half, 44-20, before going into the locker room up by 22.

CSI started the third quarter on an 11-2 run, putting the game essentially on ice midway through the frame, taking a 55-24 lead on a running lay-up by Kayla Schmitter.  Todaro scored a pair of baskets in the run, contributing to a phenomenal night by the senior.  Todaro gave CSI their biggest lead of the stanza on another put back to make it 61-27, before BC went on an 8-2 run to end the frame.  

Baruch took some solace in winning the fourth quarter, as the Dolphins relented with some pressure and the Bearcats finally started to find their shot, connecting on 10-of-19 from the floor in the quarter. Still, the Bearcats could only shorten the lead to 23, before CSI settled for the 26-point win, 82-56.

CSI's balanced attack saw five players land in double-figures.  Arvelo led CSI with a career-high 17 points on 6-11 shooting in just 16 minutes.  Todaro finished next in line with 15 points, 14 rebounds, seven steals and seven assists.  Both McEwan and Demontreux dumped in 13 points apiece.  For Demontreux, the 13 points were a career-high.  Baruch saw 19 points from Melinda Spahiu, who also shared the team lead in rebounds with Daniela Zirpolo with seven.  CSI out-rebounded Baruch, 55-31, including a 23-9 edge on the offensive glass.

The win was CSI's 12-straight, their longest since the 2004-05 season, and CSI finished the season by sporting a 15-1 record against CUNYAC opponents, their highest regular season total in team history.  Although their games against the conference did not count because of their provisional Division II status, CSI celebrated the unofficial regular season championship by cutting down the nets to celebrate the achievements.  

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