EMMITSBURG, Md. (January 28, 2023) – Mount St. Mary's women's basketball held a 43-37 in the third quarter but watched as that advantage evaporated, then transform into a 19-point win for the visiting Niagara Purple Eagles on Saturday.
 
The Mount falls to 8-12 (4-7 MAAC), dropping back-to-back contests for a first time in a month. Niagara increased their win streak to seven games and are now 10-9 (9-2 MAAC).
 
Jo Raflo had a career day in defeat. The sophomore guard posted her first career double-double, setting new highs in points with 22 and rebounds with 11. Jessica Tomasetti also reached double figures in points, adding 15.
 
Niagara leads the country in caused turnovers, and they lived up to that today by forcing 24 Mount giveaways. Another inhibitor to the Mountaineers was rebounding, as the team gave up a season high 25 offensive rebounds to the Purple Eagles, allowing them 56 on the day. This gave the visitors a staggering 29 shot attempt margin, 81 to 52.
 
Mount St. Mary's did its best to hold their opponents for two and a half quarters of play. After the Purple Eagles planted a pair of treys to open the game, the Mountaineers compiled a 9-0 run with Michaela Harrison supplying four points. A Raflo triple at the end of the period gave the Mount a 14-13 lead after one.
 
Niagara jumped out to a five point lead early in the second period, but the tandem of Raflo and Tomasetti reversed the script, with a little help from Aryna Taylor who kickstarted a rally with a three. The home side rallied to tie, then played back and forth with the Purple Eagles until Raflo got the last word with a jumper on the Mount's final possession for the halftime advantage.
 
A quick charge plus rapid foul trouble on the part of the Purple Eagles helped the Mountaineers build a fast six point lead out of the break. The lead would grow as high as seven and the Mount remained in control up to the 3:14 mark, when Tomasetti added two foul shots to make it 43-37.
 
Then the entire story flipped. Niagara, who despite all the extra shots had been cold on offense, found their rhythm. Aaliyah Parker drew contact on the first trip down the court, and scored a jumper on the second, flipping the game to 45-43 Purple Eagles. Before the period ran out, Niagara amassed a 14-0 run in three minutes.
 
Unrelenting, the visitors showed no mercy in the fourth. Keeping the Mount off the scoreboard for an additional three minutes, Niagara scored another seven to extend the run to 21-0. The advantage stayed in double digits as the beleaguered Mountaineers were unable to forge a comeback over the final minutes.
 
Mount St. Mary's hits the road next weekend, with games at Marist (Feb. 2) and Siena (Feb. 4).