HAMDEN, Connecticut – For one last time in the 2015-16 season, the TD Bank Sports Center was roaring in support of the Quinnipiac women's basketball team. Taking on Temple of the American Athletic Conference, the Bobcats battled back and forth all game long with the Owls before eventually falling, 64-62, in the WNIT Second Round.
After working back from a six-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter, the Bobcats found themselves down by just one point with 1:40 remaining. As the home crowd was about to reach a fever pitch, Temple's faithful were the ones on their feet as Feyonda Fitzgerald found Tanaya Atkinson open underneath to put the Owls back up three again with 1:27 left.
Both teams came up empty on their next possession and head coach
Tricia Fabbri called McClure's number as the clock wound under 30 seconds who converted a layup to make it 60-59 with 25 seconds left.
Needing to foul, Quinnipiac quickly grabbed Fitzgerald who cashed in on the other end to push the lead back up to three points. Following a timeout to advance the ball, the Bobcats again went for a layup to try and extend the game but
Adily Martucci's (Waterford, Connecticut) layup attempt hit the back rim and caromed out. As Fitzgerald was fouled, she pointed to her bench and then the traveling Temple faithful who were all on their feet in resounding support at the end of a hard fought battle.
Fitzgerald only hit one of two free throws so there was still an open door to potentially come back down four points with 16 seconds remaining but a Martucci three in transition at the wing went begging and thusly ended the game as the Owls walked away with the 64-62 and advance to the WNIT Sweet 16.
The two-point loss in the WNIT Second Round at home ends a storybook season for the Bobcats who finish 25-9 overall after having secured the first national postseason victory in program history, 90-44, in the WNIT First Round over Maine on Friday.
Quinnipiac's home faithful feasted their eyes on the Bobcats' dynamic freshen duo
Paula Strautmane(Mucenieki, Latvia) and
Aryn McClure (Springfield Gardens, New York), who were leaned on time and time again throughout the 40-minute slugfest.
One game removed from setting a Quinnipiac program record going 10-for-10 on her way to 21 points and 10 rebounds against Maine, Strautmane delivered with another monster outing finishing with 19 points (9-12 FG), eight rebounds, three blocks and two assists despite fouling out after just 21 minutes of action. In two WNIT games, Strautmane's herculean effort cannot be understated as she scored 40 points (20 PPG) while shooting 19-for-22 (86.4 percent) from the floor with 18 rebounds (9 RPG) and six blocks (3 BPG).
The MAAC Rookie of the Year McClure saddled with Strautmane and joined alongside with a massive outing herself going for 17 points (6-11 FG), seven rebounds, four assists, five steals (career-high) and four blocks (tied career-high) in 30 minutes. After tallying six points in the first half, McClure went off in the fourth quarter as she tallied eight of her 17 points in the final 10 minutes of play while she was an all-around force adding a career-high five steals while also matching her career-best with four blocks.
Meeting for the second time this season, dating back to Nov. 24 where the Bobcats defeated Temple 58-56 at home, the final margin (two points) mirrored the first contest but this time it was the Owls coming out on top.
Temple took control in the early going as the Owls built up a five-point lead after 5:41 of play. The Owls extended their pressure defense throughout the 40-minute contest, leading to 17 Bobcat turnovers throughout the game which translated into immediate dividends as Temple amassed a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers for the game.
As soon as Quinnipiac called a timeout to settle their press break, the momentum swung into the favor of the Bobcats as a 9-2 run to end the first quarter gave the Bobcats a 16-14 lead after one stanza. Strautmane was an immediate presence in the opening 10 minutes as she tallied 10 of her 19 points in the first period of play.
Neither team led by more than three points throughout the first eight-plus minutes of the second quarter but as soon as Strautmane and McClure each picked up their second foul it was a completely different game as the Bobcat offense slowed and Temple picked up the pace on offense. Quinnipiac held a 24-23 lead with 4:03 remaining in the second quarter but was limited to just three points throughout the rest of the first half while Temple lit up the scoreboard for 12 points as the 12-3 run proved large in the remainder of play.
Down by eight at halftime and trailing by as many as 10 in the third quarter, Quinnipiac fought back thanks to a 10-2 and kept the deficit within striking distance for the remainder of play.
Strautmane again was a huge factor as she pumped in seven more points in the third quarter alone but foul trouble plagued the big-time rookie performer as she had to come out of the game towards the end of the third quarter and picked up her fifth foul after playing just over one minute in the final frame.
Losing Strautmane with foul trouble, McClure was leaned on heavily and she converted with 10 of her 17 points coming when her freshman classmate wasn't on the floor.
Temple mustered enough on the offensive end to ultimately pull out the victory and received a clutch three-point make (the Owls' lone three-point make of the game) from Donnaizha Fountain late in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald tallied seven of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and iced the game away late with some clutch free throw makes.
Carly Fabbri (Stratford, Connecticut) was solid throughout despite playing against heavy pressure defense as she tallied six points, eight rebounds (career-high) and four assists in 35 minutes.
Sarah Shewan (Russell, Ontario) came off the bench and scored five points while adding five rebounds and four assists and
Morgan Manz (Southbury, Connecticut) tallied six points and five rebounds off the bench as well.
Quinnipiac's freshmen duo Strautmane (19 points) and McClure (17) tallied 36 combined points, accounting for 58 percent of the Bobcats' total scoring on the day while also contributing a combined 15 rebounds, six assists, seven blocks and six steals.
The conclusion of the 2015-16 season marks the ends of the careers of seniors
Maria Napolitano,
Katie Carroll,
Tiffany Webster and
Shahara Ingram. Four-year contributors Napolitano and Carroll finish their careers as the winningest class (107-29; .787 win percentage) in program history.