WATERBURY, Conn. –  Sophomore forward Alyssa Rossignol led Post University Women's Basketball with 16 points and tied for a team-high six rebounds, but double-doubles from senior forward Cassie Murphy, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, along with freshman forward Gabby Recinto with 10 points and 12 rebounds helped Jefferson University to a 26-point victory over the Eagles, 63-37, on Saturday afternoon at the Drubner Center. 

THE BASICS

Post University 37, Jefferson University 63

Post University (4-15, 3-5 CACC)
 
Jefferson University (12-6, 6-2 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
A first-half battle between Rossignol and Murphy would ensue as Rossignol led the Eagles with 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting while Murphy had a team-high 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting for the Rams with both players playing essentially the entire 20 minutes. 

While Post never led through the first two quarters and only tied things up once at two after sophomore guard Tori Nigro and Rossignol scored for their respective teams, they would come back from a myriad of double-digit deficits, matching each run that Jefferson went on. Following a 9-2 run, which put the Rams up by nine points, Rossignol's jumper, which gave her all six Eagles points to start, sparked a brief 4-0 run to make it a five-point game, 13-8. 

After trailing by double-digits heading into the second quarter and as many as 12 points in that frame, back-to-back threes from senior guard Naj White and graduate guard Erin Harris, who had six points during an 8-0 run for Post, helped bring their deficit back down to four, 25-21. But that would be the closest the Eagles got in the first half, heading into the break down by eight points, 35-27, as Murphy and freshman forward Carolyn Sipprell capped off the second with back-to-back baskets.

At the break, Post forced 12 turnovers which led to 10 points compared to seven turnovers forced by Jefferson for seven points on the other end. While the Eagles took 10 more shots than the Rams, leading to a 12-7 advantage in offensive rebounds, a 12-for-39 (30.8%) shooting half would not allow them to keep pace with a 16-for-29 (55.2%) session from Jefferson which gave them their eight-point lead. 

The defense for the Rams would turn it on in the second half, forcing 11 turnovers while also only allowing 10 points throughout the third and fourth quarters. Out of the break, Jefferson pulled away with an 8-0 run which lasted nearly five minutes of the third quarter before being broken up by sophomore guard Hannah Finnerty's layup at the 4:48 mark of the frame. That would be the only field goal for the Eagles who went 1-for-13 from the floor in the third while grabbing their other two points via free throws from Rossignol.

In all, Post finished the second half going 4-for-22 (18.1%) from the field, leading to a 16-for-61 (26.2%) shooting game overall in which they went 3-for-21 (14.3%) from three and made no threes in the second half on 10 total attempts. On the flip side, the Rams closed the game shooting 29-for-66 (43.9%) overall, including a 13-for-37 (35.1%) second half in which they outscored the Eagles, 28-10.

Both teams combined for just 10 fouls apiece, leading to a total of 20 fouls for the game and a combined nine free throw attempts with Post having six compared to three for the Rams in the 63-37 defeat. 

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Alyssa Rossignol now has double-digit scoring in five consecutive games and eight of her last nine games after scoring 16 points on 7-for-18 shooting while also corralling six rebounds 
• Cassie Murphy and Emily Spratt led Jefferson University with 16 points each with Murphy shooting 7-for-15 from the field and Spratt going 8-for-15 overall -- Murphy also had 11 rebounds for a double-double in the win for the Rams  
• Gabby Recinto also recorded a double-double for Jefferson University, scoring 10 points and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds -- Recinto shot 5-for-9 from the field while playing 33 minutes 
• Post University is now 0-22 in the all-time series against Jefferson University with the last two losses coming by 20-plus points -- The Eagles lost by 21 points last season, 74-53, on the road to the Rams 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University starts a three-game road trip next Tuesday when they head down to Bloomfield College for a matchup with the Bears at 5:30 PM. The Eagles have won nine straight games against Bloomfield dating back to the 2018-19 season after losing the 11 head-to-heads before that from 2013-2019.