Purple Eagles Overtake Jaspers in Opening Round of MAAC Championships
MAAC Sports
ALBANY, N.Y. – Niagara’s Victoria Rampado led her team with 15 points and eight rebounds in a win over the Jaspers. In the first round matchup, the No. 6 Purple Eagles held back the No. 11 Jaspers 57-51 on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the 2015 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship.
Taylor McKay contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while Kaylee Stroemple added eight points, five rebounds and three assists going three for five from the field and two for two from the chary stripe.
Niagara took an early lead in the contest after a Rampado three pointer gave the Purple Eagles a six point lead at the 16:59 mark. A layup by Manhattan’s Shayna Ericksen at 14:16 would tie the contest 9-9. The score broke out to 24-16 in favor of Niagara after a McKay jumper at 7:50 to secure an eight point lead. The first half ended as a four point game with the Jaspers trailing 28-24after a Taylor Williams layup just before the half. The second half proved to be back and forth in the first 10 minutes with Manhattan only creating one lead change over the final 20 minutes to give them a 34-33 lead at 15:02. Rampado would get fouled and drain two free throws to give Niagara an eight point lead with just over four minutes left to play, bringing the score to 48-40. A Williams layup with would bring the Jaspers within 5 with two minutes to play, but Manhattan couldn’t come back leading to Niagara’s advance in the 2015 MAAC Basketball Championships.
Williams would finish with 14 points and three rebounds, while Blake Underhill added 12 points, two assists and five assists.
Niagara will face three seeded Fairfield University in the quarterfinals on Friday at 9:30 p.m.
The 2015 MAAC Basketball Championships continue at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. March 5-9. Tickets can be purchased here.
The MAAC will host the NCAA Women's Basketball Sweet Sixteen Albany Regional at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. Tickets can be purchased here.
For the full women’s basketball schedule, visits maacsports.com and remember to follow the conversation on twitter using #MAACHoops and #MAACHoops15.