BANGOR, Maine – Senior guard Cassandra Stapelfeld (Brookline, N.H.) and sophomore guard Angelica Hurley (Groverland, Mass.) combined to score 50 points and help Saint Joseph's College (2-1) defeat Husson University (2-3), 98-92 in triple-overtime, in a non-conference women's basketball contest on Saturday afternoon.
Today's contest is believed to be the longest in the history of the SJC women's basketball program, as researchers were unable to find another triple-overtime contest in nearly 1,150 games spanning the last 45 years. The Monks have played in 25 overtime games all-time with a 15-10 record when a contest goes into extra time. St. Joe's is 4-0 in multiple-overtime games and 3-0 in overtime tilts versus Husson, with an 82-78 2OT win in 2014 and a 74-73 OT triumph in 1984.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Husson held a 51-44 lead going into the fourth quarter, but Saint Joseph's outscored the hosts by a 25-18 margin - thanks in large part to a 5-for-9 three-point shooting effort in the fourth period - and led 69-66 with 30 seconds left in regulation. After a timeout, Husson senior Vanessa Duarte (Hawthorne, N.Y.) connected on a three-point attempt to tie the game and force what turned out to be the first of three five-minute overtime segments.
The teams traded late three-point field goals in the first and second overtime frames, as Husson freshman Sophia McVicar (Calais, Maine) hit a shot from downtown with 12 seconds left in the first extra period to knot the game at 80-80 and Hurley nailed a buzzer-beater trifecta to make a third OT necessary with the score tied, 89-89.
Holding on to a 94-92 edge with 27 seconds on the third OT clock, St. Joe's was able to put the game away by going 4-for-6 from the free throw line. Hurley iced the win with two freebies with four seconds left in the third overtime.
STATS OF THE GAME:
Saint Joseph's was 12-for-33 from beyond the arc and shot 75.0% (24-32) from the FT line while Husson made just 3-of-16 attempts from downtown and shot 63.0% (17-27) from the charity stripe.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Hurley nearly posted a triple-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists
- Stapelfeld dropped 26 points with five assists
- Sophomore Hannah Talon (Windham, Maine) came off the bench to tally 12 points, six boards, four steals, and three assists
- Junior Jayne Howe (Pembroke, Mass.) chipped in with 11 points, five caroms, and three assists
- Senior Kaleigh Walsh (Windham, N.H.) netted 10 points with four rebounds
LEADERS – HUSSON:
- Junior Bailey Donovan (Island Falls, Maine) was a force for the Eagles with 30 points and 20 rebounds
- Senior Megan Peach (Garland, Maine) also posted an impressive double-double with 17 points and 20 rebounds with six assists
- Duarte contributed 15 points with four boards and a pair of assists
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the win, Saint Joseph's improves to 44-33 all-time versus Husson University.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will host UMaine-Farmington on Tuesday at 5:30 PM.
