Box Score

GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. – Despite 18 points each from Adriana Sciascia and Sara Smith, Immaculata University's women's basketball team dropped its regular-season finale at Gwynedd Mercy University on Wednesday evening, 85-64.
 
The Mighty Macs fall to 17-8 overall and 12-4 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) with the loss. Immaculata will enter next week's CSAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed and host a quarterfinal game on Monday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. Gwynedd Mercy improved to 14-11, 11-5 CSAC, and are the No. 5 seed in the CSAC Tournament.
 
In addition to her 18 points, Sciascia had a team-best six rebounds while dishing out four assists. Smith added five rebounds to her 18 points. Brittany Merkle had eight points and four blocked shots, while Alison Zimny added seven points and three steals. Mackie Fitzgerald handed out a team-best seven assists during the night.
 
Immaculata started the game on a tear, outscoring Gwynedd Mercy 14-3 during the opening five minutes. Sciascia had six points for the Mighty Macs during the first 4:36 of the contest. The Griffins were limited to just three made free throws while the Mighty Macs grabbed the early 11-point lead.
 
After Gwynedd Mercy cut Immaculata's lead to 14-6, Zimny scored five-straight points for the Mighty Macs as they retook a double-digit edge, 19-6. Immaculata would continue to hold a double-figure advantage until Lauren Smith had a layup for Gwynedd Mercy with 8:30 left in the first half.
 
The Griffins were able to cut the Mighty Macs lead to just five (25-20) when with Lindsay Cras drained back-to-back 3-pointers to stake the visitors to a 31-20 lead with 6:23 to play. The Mighty Macs were still ahead 35-22 with just over five minutes to play in the first frame when the Griffins went on a 13-2 spurt during the final 4:58 of the half. However, Immaculata was able to cling to a 37-35 lead at halftime.
 
Smith had 12 points at halftime. Immaculata was 14-for-32 (.438) from the field while Gwynedd Mercy shot 30.8 percent (8-26). The Griffins were 16-21 (.762) at the free throw line compared to just 6-for-7 (.857) for the Mighty Macs.
 
Gwynedd Mercy tied the game at 37-all on the first possession of the second half, and the two teams traded baskets for the score to once again be even at 39 at the 18:51 mark. The Griffins then hit a three with 17:48 to go in the game, and for the next seven minutes, Gwynedd Mercy outscored Immaculata 12-6 to take its first double-digit lead (56-45) of the contest.
 
Gwynedd Mercy extended its lead to its largest margin of the game (74-50) with 4:56 left when Immaculata made a run. The Mighty Macs were able to cut the Griffins lead to 14 (78-64) by the 1:37 mark as Sciascia had seven points in Immaculata's 14-4 burst.
 
Gwynedd Mercy's Natasha Matthews had a game-high 22 points.
 
Immaculata opens CSAC Tournament action on Monday, Feb. 24, hosting No. 6-seed Rosemont at 7 p.m.