HAMDEN — Basketball games are usually quite physical, with each team attempting to gain an advantage over their opponent by any means necessary. Quinnipiac’s 71-47 win against Sacred Heart on Thursday night could be described as more than just physical.
From the beginning of the game, it was clear this wouldn’t be a run-of-the-mill matchup. As soon as tip-off commenced, freshman point guard Gal Raviv caught the ball, but had no time to even move. She was immediately surrounded by Sacred Heart defenders, which forced her to the ground as she held onto the ball.
Jump balls, trips to the free throw line and multiple trips to the ground by players on both teams were frequent in this game.
Sacred Heart junior guard Ny’Ceara Pryor gave the Bobcats the most trouble. Pryor shot an efficient 6-12 from the field and finished the contest with 17 points.
Quinnipiac countered with its own scoring weapon, Raviv. The freshman point guard finished the contest with 22 points as the Pioneers had no answer for her polished mid-range game.
“I think we started off the game a little slow,” Raviv said. “But after our first timeout we picked it up.”
The battle-tested Bobcats were able to secure a victory after building a 13-point halftime lead which the team never surrendered, cruising their way to a fourth straight victory.
At the start of the third quarter, two straight turnovers by the Pioneers caused the Bobcats to capitalize and extend their lead to 18, a deficit Sacred Heart could not overcome.
The win secures head coach Tricia Fabbri’s 13th 20-plus win season for Quinnipiac women’s basketball
“Twenty wins is a good season,” Fabbri said. “That’s a big number, especially with games to go and to build upon. And I’m really proud of the ladies, they have us 20-3, I mean that’s amazing.”
By the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the momentum was still on Quinnipiac’s side. At this point, all of the Bobcats’ starters had been removed from the game, but that doesn’t mean their contributions were over.
When first-year forward Emma Lizotte scored her first career points, Quinnipiac’s bench erupted in cheers. Their support created a unique atmosphere in M&T Arena, something that was absent for a majority of the game due to a mostly empty crowd.
“(Emma’s) working her ass off every single day and in scout at practice,” senior forward Grace LaBarge said. “So for her to get in and get two blocks in about 30 seconds, that was amazing to watch.”
As Quinnipiac inches closer to the MAAC Tournament, one thing is for certain team chemistry is at an all-time high.
Quinnipiac travels to New York on Feb. 15 to take on Iona. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
