Blue Devils Win Sixth Straight, Improve to 6-0 in Northeast Conference Play with 71-64 Road Victory Over SFPA

Sophomore Kerrianne Dugan had 17 points to lead Central Connecticut (11-5, 6-0) in a 71-64 Northeast Conference win at St. Francis (PA) (3-13, 2-4). Dugan combined with freshman Shontice Simmons, junior P.J. Wade and sophomore Leanne Crockett to score 62 of the 71 Blue Devil points. Simmons had 16 points. Wade scored 15 points, and Crockett totaled 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds. CCSU has now won six straight for the first time since the 1997-98 season.

CCSU led 7-5 with just less than four minutes off the clock in the first half, but the Red Flash went on an 11-2 run to go up 16-9 at the 10:46 mark. St. Francis (PA) was still ahead six, 20-14, when a pair of Wade free throws started a 9-2 stretch to put the Blue Devils back ahead with just over five minutes left in the opening half.

The teams traded leads four times over the next two minutes, and the game was tied at 28-28 with 2:44 remaining. Simmons scored the last four points of the half, giving the Blue Devils a 32-28 advantage at the break.

Wade and Crockett led Central Connecticut in the first 20 minutes with eight points each. Dugan added five points and four rebounds. Junior Britney Hodges had eight points and four assists to lead the Red Flash.

The Red Flash opened the second half with six straight points to retake the lead. Moments later, with the game tied at 36-36, Wade started and capped another Blue Devil run. The 10-0 burst put Central Connecticut ahead for good.

St, Francis (PA) twice drew to within five points. Dugan stalled the first rally with a three-point play, and Simmons ended the second with a layup at the 1:15 mark. Simmons and freshman Gabrielle Oglesby sealed the win at the free throw line.

Wade added five rebounds, three assists and two steals to her 15-point effort. Dugan had six rebounds to go with her 17 points. Central Connecticut shot 15-of-29 (51.7 percent) in the second half and finished with a 45 percent shooting performance. Sophomore Samantha Leach had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead SFPA. Hodges finished with 10 points, eight assists, four rebounds and four steals.

Central Connecticut will continue its Western Pennsylvania swing with a 7 p.m. game at Robert Morris on Monday, Jan. 19.