ST. DAVID'S, Pa. – Powered by senior Nina Cammarano's career-high 30 points, the Immaculata University women's basketball team defeated Eastern University, 77-74, in overtime on Monday night.
The Mighty Macs improve to 5-17 overall and 3-10 in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference, while the Eagles dip to 4-18 overall, 3-10 in the league. Immaculata is now in a three-way tie for fourth place in the PAC South Division with Eastern and Rosemont. Notre Dame, who was idle tonight, is third with a record of 3-9.
Cammarano's career-best 30 points included a 9-of-18 effort from the field, with six of her field goals coming from behind the arc. Her six treys in the game set a new Immaculata record for career three-point baskets with 171. Cammarano's second three of the night with 6:23 to play in the first half moved her ahead of Lindsey Williams' mark of 166. Cammarano also grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists and swiped two steals.
Immaculata opened the game on an 8-2 run during the first four minutes before Eastern scored its first bucket from the field, as Patrice Freeman made a layup at the 15:32 mark and added two free throws just 20 seconds later to cut Immaculata's lead to 8-6.
It was then that Cammarano hit her first three of the night and sparked an 11-0 run for the Mighty Macs over 4:30, giving Immaculata its largest lead of the contest, 19-6, with 10:19 remaining in the opening stanza.
With 6:38 left on the first half clock, Immaculata still maintained a double-digit advantage, 26-15, but Eastern cut the Mighty Macs' lead to one, 28-27, in just over three minutes as Mandy Kuiken drained two treys for the Eagles.
The Eagles took their first lead of the contest with 1:38 remaining before halftime as Joelle DeCarlo rained in a three, and Eastern would hold the advantage at intermission, 37-32.
Eastern had pushed it advantage to 13, 52-39, at the 13:45 mark of the second half as Kuiken scored seven of the Eagles 15 points during the spurt. However, Immaculata answered right back with a 14-4 run of its own to cut the deficit to 56-53 with 6:57 remaining in the tilt.
The Mighty Macs got within two points three times during the final six minutes but could never overtake the Eagles. Junior Courtney Dixon hit a jumper with 41 seconds left in regulation to bring Immaculata within two, 67-65, for the third time.
Kuiken missed the layup on the other end of the court and junior Kasey Hicks grabbed the rebound for Immaculata. Dixon was fouled as she was set up the final shot for the Mighty Macs and was set to the foul line. Dixon missed the free throw, but freshman Deanna Tropea was able to bring down the rebound and lay it in for the game-tying shot as time expired.
The Mighty Macs scored first in overtime as Cammarano sunk the fifth of her three-pointers, but the Eagles rattled off five straight points before Cammarano again answered the call with a trey. It gave Immaculata the 73-72 edge and the Mighty Macs held on for the 77-74 victory.
Hicks recorded a double-double with 13 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, all defensive, and also added five assists. Dixon finished with nine points and four assists. Junior Stephanie Stripe tallied a career high with 11 rebounds and added three points, while Tropea had career-highs in both points (8) and blocks (5) and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Mighty Macs.
Kuiken finished with 29 points for Eastern and Hannah Tobin chipped in 18 points. Shaneen Brown led the Eagles on the glass with 10 rebounds.
Immaculata returns home for the final three games of the regular season. The Mighty Macs welcome Notre Dame into Alumnae Hall on Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.
