SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 22, 2024) – The top-seeded Western New England women's basketball team took a six-point lead into the break before coming away with a dominant third quarter and finished off the fourth-seeded Rams of Suffolk University in the fourth quarter to advance to the CCC Championship game for the first time since the 2018-2019 season, defeating Suffolk by a final score of 69-51.

Records:

• No. 1 Western New England: 21-5
• No. 4 Suffolk University: 20-7

How it Happened:

Lilly Hedge opened the game with the first two points for the Golden Bears, while Western New England scored the first six points of the game to come away with an early 6-0 lead, with Hedge and Shaina Cooney contributing early. Western New England looked to take down the Rams of Suffolk for the second time this season, both coming on home court. An eight-point lead at 10-2 would quickly give the Golden Bears an edge after Emma Kahn dropped important free throws. The Rams would cut WNE's lead down to two when Jordan Moreau connected on a jumper with 2:10 to play in the opening quarter. The Golden Bears finished the first quarter on a 6-2 run, including four points from Paige Winter, who closed the quarter with a bucket plus a free throw on a foul, giving WNE an 18-12 lead after ten minutes of play.

Suffolk would not go away quietly, looking to advance to their first ever CCC championship game in the program's short history in the conference. The Golden Bears recorded just two points in the opening 5:25 of the second quarter, allowing Suffolk to knock WNE's lead down to two, though Caitlyn Hunt would come away with a layup on a feed from Colleen Furlong to spark WNE's offense. Emma Novajasky would connect from three on the next possession, while Hunt was back on the board with another layup that gave Western New England a nine-point lead. Emma Kahn's triple with 54 seconds gave Western New England their first double-digit lead of the game, though Suffolk would finish off the second half on a mini-4-0 run, which gave Western New England a 30-24 halftime lead.

The Golden Bears opened the second half with an Emma Novajasky tip-in layup, while Lilly Hedge got back on the scoreboard for Western New England, which quickly gave the Golden Bears a ten-point lead. The Rams and Golden Bears would go back-and-forth, bucket-for-bucket, as WNE maintained their 11-point lead with 4:55 to play in the third quarter. The Golden Bears would extend their lead in the half of the quarter, going on a 14-4 run, which included three balls from Paige Winter and Erin Reen while Tara Laugeni and Caitlyn Hunt helped underneath the hoop, giving the Golden Bears a 55-36 lead at the end of the third quarter.

WNE's first bucket of the fourth quarter would give Western New England their largest lead of the night, a 21-point lead. Suffolk would get within 16 points at the 5:17 mark of the fourth quarter when Lauren Romito connected on a hook shot for the Rams, though Emma Novajasky would bury her second three of the night with 4:03 remaining to give Western New England a commanding lead. Suffolk's late comeback would fall short as the CCC's top-seeded Golden Bears would come away with a 69-51 victory, advancing to the CCC Championship game on Saturday afternoon.

Inside the Lines:

• Western New England advances to the championship game for the first time since 2018–2019, when they defeated Endicott College on the road to advance to the NCAA Championships.
• WNE's 21 wins on the season are the most since the 2019–2020 season, a season where the Golden Bears did advance to the NCAA Championships.
• Three Golden Bears scored in double figures on the night, with Lilly Hedge (15 pts.), Emma Kahn (11 pts.), and Tara Laugeni (10 pts.) contributing heavily for WNE.
• Hedge finished the night with the aforementioned 15 points, nine rebounds, and one assist. Emma Novajasky also recorded nine rebounds to go along with her eight points, while Shaina Cooney dropped an additional eight points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• WNE shot 43% from the field, including 11/18 from the field in the third quarter, to pull away from Suffolk.
• WNE outrebounded Suffolk 48-25 in the win.
• Suffolk's Amanda DeAngelis concludes her senior season with 16 points, seven rebounds, a block, and an assist in the loss. Transfer graduate student Lauren Romito dropped 12 points while grabbing four rebounds. Congratulations on outstanding careers, Rams!
• Western New England never trailed in the game, getting 28 second-chance points and 32 points in the paint.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears will host the CCC Championship game for the first time since 2007–2008. The CCC's top-seeded Golden Bears will take on the Nor'easters of the University of New England on Saturday, February 24 at 1:00 PM. Western New England is 2-0 this season against UNE. UNE is currently riding a ten-game win streak heading into the game, with their last loss coming on January 20 at home against Western New England.