Klockgether scores 17
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Junior Cassie Klockgether (San Diego, Calif.) scored a career-high 17 points and made 5-of-9 three point attempts as the Stony Brook University women's basketball team defeated Maine, 59-47, on Saturday afternoon in Pritchard Gymnasium. The Seawolves forced Maine into 25 turnovers while recording double-digit steals for the fourth consecutive game. With the victory, Stony Brook is now 8-17 (6-7 America East) while Maine falls to 7-18 (3-10).
"We did a great job of forcing turnovers and turning them into points tonight," said head coach Michele Cherry. "I was happy to see Cassie score the way she did tonight. She's been nagged by injuries for most of her career, and it was great to see what she's capable of when she's healthy."
Stony Brook's defense stifled the Black Bear attack early on, holding Maine without a field goal for the first four minutes of the half. The Seawolves built a 13-4 lead with 10:30 remaining by forcing Maine into nine turnovers and allowing them just five field-goal attempts. Klockgether extended SBU's advantage to a game-high 12 when she knocked down her first three of the game at the 9:10 mark.
That would be the Seawolves' last field goal over the next six minutes, however, as Maine battled back to within one at 17-16 on a pair of free throws from Samantha Wheeler. After a jumper from senior Crystal Rushin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) broke SBU's scoreless streak, Klockgether nailed three more shots from beyond the arc in the final 2:41 of the half. Her final three came as time expired to put Stony Brook ahead, 30-18.
After committing 21 first-half turnovers, Maine didn't turn the ball over once in the first eight minutes of the second half as they went on a 17-6 run to trim Stony Brook's lead to just one at 36-35. Klockgether once again came through in the clutch for the Seawolves though, as she hit another three to spark a 10-2 Stony Brook reply.
SBU maintained at least a six-point cushion for the remainder of the game as it held on for the victory. Stony Brook outscored Maine 30-3 in bench points and turned the 25 Maine turnovers into 23 second-chance points. Klockgether was named the America East Player of the Game, while Katelyn Vanderhoff earned the honor by scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Rushin finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds while junior Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) fell one assist shy of tying her career-high of eight. Senior Joia Daniels (Silver Spring, Md.) scored in double-figures for the fourth-consecutive game by adding 10 points.
Stony Brook's next game will be on Wednesday night when it travels to take on Boston University at 5:30 p.m.
