All-around showing leads women's basketball past Molloy

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College women's basketball team used an all-around effort to defeat Molloy University 73-53 on Sunday, January 8.

AIC improves to 7-8 overall with the win.

The Lions took an early 14-7 edge, but the Yellow Jackets took over late in the first, starting with a Nora Young basket to spark an eight-point run. Taylor Tomlinson hit twice, with Cierra Highland also landing a shot between Tomlinson's baskets, as AIC erased the deficit. A pair of free throws put the Lions back up briefly, but Tia-Marie Martinez drained a three on the final shot of the frame to give AIC the edge at the break, 18-16.

The scoring was slow early in the second; AIC held Molloy to just a free throw over a four-minute stretch, but could only extend the lead to 25-21. However, after a Trinity Hudson bucket, AIC's offense came alive again. Julia Carbonell Munoz hit a putback to spark an eight-point run that was capped by Martinez swiping the ball from Hudson and laying it in to give AIC a 33-23 edge. Rosa Rizzitelli countered with a three, but Tomlinson closed out the half with a jumper to put AIC up 35-26 at the break.

Molloy cut into its deficit in the first portion of the third frame, only to see Carbonell Munoz hit back-to-back shots, the second of which came courtesy of another Martinez steal. That was the beginning of what proved to be a 15-point run, and the duo was responsible for most of it, with Carbonell Munoz totaling eight and Martinez finishing it with a three to give AIC a 50-30 advantage. Young collected a trio of field goals later in the quarter, and the hosts were completely in control after a half hour, 59-39.

The final frame was all about holding the opposition off, and AIC succeeded in that, thanks in part to Tomlinson's six points. The Yellow Jackets were able to empty their bench late, and the final basket of the game for the home side was a beautiful driving layup by Cameron Wilbur, delighting the bench and extending the lead to a game-high 24 as AIC was up 73-49. The Lions hit two field goals to finish the scoring in the matchup.

Tomlinson had a team-best 18; she, Martinez, Young, Carbonell Munoz, and Kayla Robinson all reached double digits; the top four scorers combined to shoot 28-of-41 from the floor. Martinez also pulled in six steals and dished out five assists, while Carbonell Munoz led AIC with eight boards.

AIC returns to Northeast-10 Conference action at Pace University on Tuesday, January 10 at 5:30 p.m.