Box Score

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – Immaculata University women's basketball team fell in its 2016-17 regular-season finale Saturday afternoon on the road at Centenary, 72-55. The Mighty Macs, who earned the sixth seed in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Tournament, will travel to third-seed Gwynedd Mercy on Monday, February 20, for a quarterfinal contest.
 
Immaculata wraps up the regular season with an 8-17 overall and 8-8 CSAC record. Centenary, which will be the fourth seed in the tournament, ends 20-5, 13-3 CSAC.
 
Amber Ballinger led three Immaculata scorers in double figures with 16 points, while adding six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Theresa Walsh added 15 points while leading the squad on the glass with seven rebounds, and she also had one blocked shot and one steal. Tamyra Laws chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Gina Cocci finished with three assists and three points.
 
The Mighty Macs scored the first basket of the game as Annie Kohutka had a layup, but the Cyclones scored eight-straight points, including hitting two 3-pointers, for an 8-2 lead at the 6:28 mark of the first quarter. Immaculata was back to within four (10-6) with five minutes remaining in the quarter when five-consecutive points by Centenary gave the hosts a nine-point lead (15-6), with 3:32 to play.
 
The Mighty Macs used a jumper from Laws and a three by Cocci to quickly cut their deficit back to four, 15-11, with 2:45 left in the opening quarter. However, Centenary pushed its advantage back to nine (20-11) before holding a 20-13 led at the end of the first quarter of play.
 
It was the Cyclones scoring the first basket of the second half, but the Mighty Macs surged after that. Immaculata went on an 11-0 run with six points from Walsh and the other five from Ballinger to take a 24-22 lead on Centenary with 7:05 to play in the second quarter. The Cyclones responded with an 8-0 run as they grapped the lead back and pushed it to six (30-24) with 3:19 left before halftime. Laws and Molly Gallagher each sunk a pair of free throws during the final two minutes, but Centenary put in a layup in the final seconds for a 32-28 lead at the break.
 
Immaculata cut the difference to two points twice during the opening minute of the third quarter, but was not able to tie the game or take the lead. The Mighty Macs stayed within four (38-34) at the 7:49 mark after another Walsh layup, and that is when the Cyclones got hot. Centenary outscored Immaculata, 15-1, during a five-minute stretch that saw the Cyclones push their lead to 53-35 with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter.
 
Centenary was able to keep a double-figure lead on Immaculata the rest of the third and the fourth quarters for the win.
 
The CSAC Tournament begins Monday with quarterfinal games between (4) Centenary and (5) Cabrini, and (3) Gwynedd Mercy and (6) Immaculata. Marywood, the top seed, and (2) Neumann both earned byes and will host semifinal contests on Wednesday night. The championship game will be played next Saturday at the highest remaining seed.