WATERBURY, Conn. – After overcoming an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter the other day, if Post University Women's Basketball wanted to keep their momentum rolling, they would have to take down another tough test in their conference matchup against Holy Family University on Saturday afternoon at the Drubner Center. The Tigers, ranked eighth in the most recent D2CSC East Region Poll, entered the day riding a 13-game winning streak and like the Eagles were undefeated in conference play. 
 
In a game defined by runs and comebacks from both sides, it was another late fourth-quarter run by Post who trailed by seven points with less than four minutes remaining in regulation that forced overtime against the Tigers. Graduate shooting guard Maya Klein's three-ball in the extra frame and a 5-for-8 performance from the Eagles as a team would help them finish off a 72-68 win that snapped the Holy Family winning streak at 13 straight games as Post moved two games above the .500 mark and remains undefeated in conference play.

THE BASICS

Post University 72, Holy Family University 68 (OT)

Post University (7-5, 3-0 CACC) 
 
Holy Family University (13-2, 3-1 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Out of the gate, the Tigers would pounce on the Eagles with seven straight points as graduate guard Carly Bolivar, who had the second quadruple-double in NCAA Division II history in Holy Family's last game, scored four straight points en route to that 7-0 lead following a three from senior guard Lindsay Tretter. That Tiger lead ballooned to as many as 10 points with 2:55 left in the first following a three by freshman forward Kara Meredith and remained at seven points, 19-12, after the first 10 minutes following a jumper at the buzzer by Bolivar who had eight points in the first quarter. 
 
But the second quarter would be owned by the Eagles as Klein got them going with two early free throws and the first four threes that she would hit in the game around a layup from senior forward Jenn Kokolus to trim the deficit to four points, 21-17. Post would go on to take their first lead of the game, 22-21, after junior guard Naj White's jumper capped off a 10-2 run for the Eagles to start the frame. Taking a four-point lead, 32-28, into the halftime break, Post outscored Holy Family by 11 points, 20-9, the third time they have held an opponent to nine points in a quarter. The fewest points the Eagles have allowed in a quarter this season are eight against Southern New Hampshire back on November 26^th, 2023 in the second quarter.  
 
A 4-0 run to start the third for the Eagles threatened to let them pull away from the Tigers as they opened up their largest lead of the game at eight points, 36-28, after a layup from graduate guard Trinity Bravo and two free throws from graduate point guard Le'Sandra Turner. But that eight-point edge would dwindle as the third rolled on and eventually, a 7-0 run from Kokolus, Tretter, and Meredith would give the Tigers the lead back by one, 42-41. Exchanging baskets back-and-forth over the final five minutes would result in Holy Family regaining the lead by one, 49-48, with a quarter left to play. 
 
Momentum would continue to go in favor of the Tigers as well in those final 10 minutes with the score tied at 53 all when they would go on another 7-0 run capped off by a three from Tretter that made it 60-53 with 5:01 left in the game. Tretter finished the game having played in 40 minutes in which she was 5-for-13 from the floor and 4-for-9 from three with 14 points. But the heroes from the last game would come to life once more for the Eagles to get them back into the game and eventually retake the lead. 
 
It started with 3:41 left in regulation on a three from Klein and then a pair of free throws by Stevenson just under a minute later to make it a two-point game. An offensive foul by Kokolus would lead to the game's leading point scorer in graduate guard TiJanae Simmons knocking down a go-ahead three with 2:11 left and momentum shifting entirely in favor of the Eagles. A big layup by Bravo with under a minute ago followed by a steal that sent her back to the line for two free throws in which she would convert on one of the two, gave Post a four-point lead, 64-60, with 30 seconds left after their 11-0 run.  
 
Back-to-back misses for the Tigers eventually resulted in sophomore guard Taylor Hinkle getting to the line for two free throws after a foul to Stevenson and then a turnover by Bravo gave Holy Family a chance to tie after a foul by White with seven seconds remaining. Junior guard Ava Morrow would convert both and Bravo's jumper at the buzzer would be off the mark to send the game to overtime tied at 64.  
 
Klein would lead off the overtime period with a three and Post would remain in front by three until 2:13 remained when Tretter tied the game at 68 with a three. Senior center Carolyn Provost, who made a free throw earlier in overtime, fouled Stevenson and she would hit a pair of free throws to give Post the lead back by two with two minutes to go.  
 
But three missed shots and a pair of turnovers would be the undoing for the Tigers while Post would hit two more free throws in the final 28 seconds to snap the Holy Family winning streak at 13 straight games, which dates back to their second game played this season, with a 72-68 victory which keeps them an undefeated 3-0 in conference play.  

BY THE NUMBERS  

• For the third time this season, TiJanae Simmons finished in double figures, leading the team for the first time this year with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting which is also a season-high 
• Naj White reached double-digit scoring for the third straight game and the fifth time this season, finishing with 12  points in the game which tied her season high that she had against Southern New Hampshire University   
• The size of Holy Family proved effective as the Tigers outrebounded Post, 60-43 overall, while also holding a 22-15 edge in offensive rebounds  
• The victory was only the third in program history for Post University in the all-time matchup against Holy Family – The Eagles have won three of their last four matchups against the Tigers dating back to the 2021-22 season  

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University plays its first road Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchup of the season on Tuesday evening when they head down to Rutherford, New Jersey to take on Felician University at 5:30 PM. The Eagles are currently riding a three-game winning streak against the Golden Falcons and swept them last year with a 63-47 road win and 74-62 home win.