Quinnipiac completed a season sweep against Saint Peter’s with a 74-65 victory in Jersey City Thursday night.
Both teams started the contest draining three-pointers. Quinnipiac made six from beyond the arc in the first quarter while the Peacocks responded with four of their own.
The MAAC rivals had an extremely efficient first quarter scoring the basketball, despite Saint Peter’s not at full strength. Standout sophomore forward Fatmata Janneh, who’s averaging 18.4 points and 11 rebounds this season, collected two early fouls and spent most of the first quarter on the bench.
Janneh started the second quarter, and showcased her talents as the second year forward finished the quarter with 10 points before picking up a third foul. The Peacocks had proven they could go head-to-head with Quinnipiac.
But the Bobcats were up to the task.
In the NBA, fans and analysts alike use the term “third quarter Warriors” to describe how a Steph Curry-lead Golden State Warriors can dominate a team in the third quarter, which gives them an advantage down the stretch.
Quinnipiac should coin the phrase “second quarter Bobcats” as time and time again during the season, the team has demolished opponents in the second quarter, racking up halftime deficits that opponents can’t overcome.
But this game was even more impressive, something more like the “two minute Bobcats.” With 2:22 left in the first half, Quinnipiac faced a 33-32 deficit. The score at halftime?
41-33 Bobcats.
The answer to their offensive dominance lies with freshman point guard Gal Raviv. All of Quinnipiac’s points in those two minutes came at the hands of Raviv, who hit three separate three-pointers to finish the half with 21 points.
The offensive firepower from both teams continued in the second half. Janneh and the Peacocks attempted to stop a red-hot Bobcats offense, with both teams trading shots.
When these two teams met in January, the offensive efficiency simply wasn’t there, with the final score sitting at 54-39 Bobcats. By the end of the third quarter, it was 61-50 Quinnipiac.
In the fourth quarter Quinnipiac cut it close, the Peacocks got within eight points with six minutes and change left in the ballgame.
But Raviv, who had cooled down since her 21-point half, started to heat up and bring the Bobcats back to a comfortable 14-point lead. Raviv finished the contest tying her career high in points with 32.
It was a peculiar night in New Jersey, there were seven timeouts left when the clock struck double zeroes. With both teams in a rhythm for most of the game, it didn’t make sense for either squad to call one.
In a game where the tone was set by fast-paced action, the Bobcats prowled on Saint Peter’s and left New Jersey with yet another win.
Quinnipiac will return to Hamden on March 1 to take on Merrimack. Tip-off starts at 2 p.m.
