Noin Tallies Career-High 30 Points In Home Loss To SFU

The Central Connecticut women's basketball team closed out a three-game homestand on Saturday, falling 74-63 to NEC visitor Saint Francis University. 

Lucia Noin scored a career-high 30 points on Saturday, to lead the Blue Devils offense. Kiyah Lewis tallie 13 points, while Kayla Henry scored a dozen to go along with six boards and five assists.  

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE 

Score:  SFU 74, CSU 63 
Records: CCSU (0-17, 0-6 NEC), SFU (2-15; 2-4 NEC)  
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT  

KEY MOMENTS  

• The Red Flash scored the first five points, while limiting Central to just one field goal in the opening 5:16. A jumper by Aleah James gave SFU a 12-4 lead at the 5:07 mark. The Blue Devils would regroup and close the period strong, closing out with a 6-2 run and holding SFU without a field goal in the final 2:54. A pair of foul shots by Nicora Patrick cut the CCSU deficit to 18-14 with 0:23 left in the quarter. 

• Makyiah Ward opened the second quarter with a triple for the Red Flash to push its advantage to 21-14. Lucia Noin scored five consecutive points, in a 35 second stretch to close the deficit to 21-19 with 6:35 to play, before six unanswered from the Red Flash in 74 seconds forced a Blue Devil timeout. 

• Noin drained a jumper out of the timeout, but the Red Flash responded with five-straight to push the lead to double digits, 34-23. A Lewis free throw at the 3:58 mark ended that run and after consecutive stops, Lewis made back-to-back jumpers to close within 34-28. Zaiha Minnis scored for SFU with 51 seconds left to give the Red Flash a 38-28 lead they would take to the locker room. 

• The Blue Devils knocked down 3-of-4 in the first 1:51 of the second-half, with five from Noin and a layup from Kayla Henry. A conventional three-point play from Noin less than a minute later and a Cierra Pearson free throw with 6:09 to play in the quarter brought Central with 42-39. 

• Noin scored as the shot clock ran down to bring CCSU within a point, 47-46 with 2:14 to play in the third, before a three pointer from Bati Assefa and a pair of Aleah James free throws on consecutive possessions brought the SFU lead back to six points, 52-46. Both teams made a free throw in the final portion of the quarter for a 53-47 SFU lead to start the fourth quarter. 

• Lewis opened he fourth quarter scoring with a turnaround jumper 18 seconds into the period, but the Red Flash responded with 13 straight points and held the Blue Devils scoreless for nearly six minutes as they opened a 65-49 advantage. The Blue Devils rallied down the stretch, closing within 11 points on three occasions but could not get closer. 

NUMBER TO KNOW  

30 – Noin scored 30 for the first time as a collegiate player and is the first Blue Devil to reach that mark since Belle Lanpher surpassed the number three times during last season.  

NOTES  

• Noin, who scored 13 points in the third quarter, finished with a career-high 12 baskets Saturday. She also recorded four boards, four steals and three assists. 

• The Blue Devils shot 43.8 percent in the third quarter, hitting 7-16 from the field, while holding the Red Flash to 5-19 shooting (26.3 percent) 

• Pearson led all players with eight rebounds on Saturday 

• The Blue Devils forced 20 SFU turnovers, with 10 steals on the afternoon 

• The Red Flash scored 45 of their points off of the bench, led by James, who scored 19 

UP NEXT  

• The Blue Devils travel to FDU on Thursday, January 22, for a 7:00 pm contest.