STATEN ISLAND, NY – The College of Staten Island women's basketball team battled No. 13 Daemen University (N.Y.) in an intense East Coast Conference (ECC) matchup that required overtime on Sunday afternoon at The Tank.
CSI delivered a strong first half, taking an 11-point lead into the break, 41–30, highlighted by a dominant opening quarter in which the Dolphins held the Wildcats to just eight points. The Dolphins scored 21 points in the first quarter, fueled by contributions from the starting lineup of Kyra Rose, Arielle Barnes, Dana Phelan, Racky Kane, and Shonyae Edmonds.
Daemen responded in the second quarter, scoring 18 points to stay within reach, while CSI added 20 of its own. The teams traded baskets throughout the period without either side putting together a significant run. The Wildcats struggled from long range in the half, shooting 1-for-10 (10 percent), while the Dolphins connected on 3-of-5 (60 percent) from beyond the arc. All three of CSI's triples came from Phelan, who led the Dolphins at halftime with 11 points.
Rose opened the second half at the free-throw line to extend CSI's lead to 43–30. As the quarter progressed, the Wildcats began to chip away, outscoring the Dolphins and trimming the deficit to single digits. A Daemen run late in the third quarter cut the margin to two, 46–44, before Giuliana Dito knocked down a pair of free throws to keep CSI in front.
The Dolphins entered the fourth quarter with a three-point advantage following a corner three by Dito, 56–52.
Rose opened the final period with a strong drive to the basket to extend the lead, 58–52. Similar to the third quarter, both teams traded baskets until Daemen claimed its first lead of the game with just under five minutes remaining, 61–59. The Wildcats followed with an 8–0 run to build a six-point cushion before Kane answered with a clutch three-pointer to pull CSI within three, 65–62.
Back-to-back baskets by Rose and Edmonds tied the score at 68 and sent the contest into overtime.
In the extra period, Daemen outscored CSI 10–6 to secure a 78–75 victory, but not without a fight from the Dolphins. The Wildcats opened overtime with consecutive points to go ahead 72–68. Phelan knocked down two three-pointers in the extra frame, each bringing CSI within one possession of the lead. With five seconds remaining and Daemen holding a three-point advantage, the Dolphins had one final opportunity, but Phelan's potential game-tying attempt rattled out, sealing the Wildcats' win.
Phelan led all scorers with 20 points and five three-pointers. Rose recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Edmonds added 13 points and 10 rebounds, also leading the team with four steals.
The College of Staten Island women's basketball team (8–16, 4–8 ECC) returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 14, when it hosts the University of the District of Columbia at 3:00 PM.
GAME REPLAY
