Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- Looking to stay unbeaten and win their fourth straight at home, the Mighty Macs (6-6, 3-0 CSAC) hosted Rosemont in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) action, and behind a balanced effort where seven players scored at least seven points, the Mighty Macs topped the Ravens (3-8, 1-3 CSAC) by a score of 74-53 at Alumnae Hall.
 
Senior Lindsay Cras led the effort with 14 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, while senior Brittany Merkle collected her third double-double of the season and ninth of her career with 12 points, 12 boards, two blocks and three steals.  Senior Sara Smith was the other Mighty Mac to reach double figures with 11 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the line, four steals, and four assists.  Senior Mackie Fitzgerald (9 points), senior Adriana Sciascia (9 points), senior Meghan Gallagher (8 points), and senior Alison Zimny (7 points, 6 rebounds) all had productive nights offensively as well.
 
The Mighty Macs forced 25 Rosemont turnovers, including 14 in the first half as they built up an insurmountable 41-24 halftime lead.
 
The Mighty Macs raced out to a 10-3 lead in the opening five minutes as they never allowed Rosemont to lead the entire night.  Merkle was active early scoring four of the ten points to give IU the advantage.
 
After the teams traded baskets over the next six minutes and Rosemont had trimmed the Immaculata lead to five at 18-13 with 9:13 to go, the Mighty Macs ripped off a 7-0 run to swell their lead to 12 points.  Merkle and Sciascia hit back-to-back buckets before Zimny drained a deep three to put Immaculata up 25-13.
 
Rosemont would cut the deficit to nine points, but that's the closest they would get for the rest of the game.  The Mighty Macs would use a 14-6 run to close out the half to take the commanding 41-24 advantage to the locker room.  Fitzgerald knocked down back-to-back triples before Smith would score the final eight points of the half for IU with five free throws and a three pointer that barely beat the shot clock.
 
In the second half, Immaculata saw their lead grow to 23 points at 51-28 five minutes into the second half on two Smith free throws.  The lead would remain above 20 points for much of the half, and it grew as large as 28 points at 72-44 with 4:31 remaining on a breakaway layup by Sciascia following a long bounce pass from Smith.
 
The Mighty Macs would score once more on the first career basket by freshman Gina Cocci on their way to the 21-point win.
 
IU will look to stay unbeaten in CSAC play and move their home winning streak to five games on Monday when they host Cedar Crest at 6 p.m.
 
NOTES: Fitzgerald moved over the 400-point plateau for her career with nine points tonight … Smith is now just 16 points away from becoming the 22^nd Mighty Mac in team history to reach the 1,000 point plateau.