The AU women's basketball team closed out the regular season in style, celebrating Senior Day with a 75-54 victory over the Lafayette College Leopards at Bender Arena on Saturday afternoon. The win snapped the team's three-game losing streak. The Eagles finish the season at 19-10 and 9-5 in the Patriot League - good enough for the No. 2 seed in the upcoming tournament.
On a day celebrating the careers of seniors Talicia Jackson, Sahar Nusseibeh and Pam Stanfield, it would be the young blood that would take control of the game for the Eagles.
After Lafayette hit a quick bucket to take their only lead of the game at 2-0, the Eagles quickly tied the game up on layup by sophomore forward Liz Leer and never looked back. Leer would go on to hit six of eight from the field on her way to 14 points on the day.
Redshirt junior guard Nicole Ryan and sophomore forward Michelle Kirk also contributed in a big way, helping the Eagles shoot more than 40 percent in the first half of play to give AU a 34-21 lead entering halftime. Ryan scored a game-high 16 points in the game while Kirk pumped in 11 of her own.
The Eagles continued their strong play in the second half as well, increasing their lead throughout the period.
Jackson scored her only points of the game on a trademark three-pointer with just under eight minutes to play to give the Eagles a 20-point advantage.
Freshman guard Raven Harris hit a three-pointer with 2:54 to go to give AU their largest lead of the game at 73-46 before holding on for the eventual 21-point lead, 75-54.
On a day to celebrate the legacy of the three seniors, AU head coach Matt Corkery praised the players who had joined the program in their freshman year and stuck with it all four seasons.
"We sold them a vision, and we sold them on the idea that they could come here and build a quality basketball program," Corkery told AUeagles.com. "They definitely helped build the program. It's really a special accomplishment for them."
Like their male counterparts, the women will face the Lafayette Leopards again in the opening round of the Patriot League tournament, which will be played on the campus of Lehigh University at 5 p.m. Saturday.
You can reach this staff writer at jhall@theeagleonline.com.
