NEW HAVEN, Connecticut – Falling behind early and unable to recover, the American International College women's basketball team fell to the Southern Connecticut State University Owls 78-60 in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action on Tuesday, February 11.

AIC is now 11-13 overall and 4-12 in the NE10.

The Yellow Jackets made two of their first three baskets, both from Ahliya Phillips, but then made only one of their next 18 from the field in the first. The one was a Ruzgar Christina Boyle straightaway three-pointer to tie the game at eight with 6:31 remaining in the first. The Yellow Jackets were held off the board in the remainder of the frame, while the Owls claimed 11 points. Rheyna Steinauer contributed five points for the Owls in the run and seven in the quarter as the Owls led 19 to eight after ten minutes.

The Yellow Jackets outscored the Owls 12 points to seven in the second quarter, holding the Owls to two made buckets over 12 shot attempts. Boyle and Keyvanna Bennett each provided five points in the frame, as AIC shortened the halftime deficit to six points, trailing 26-20.

92 of the game's 138 points were scored in the second half.

After a pair of Chelsea Reeves free throws to reduce the deficit to five with 82 seconds elapsed in the third, the Owls used an eight-point run to create a 13-point lead. The Owls' advantage would not dip below eight points throughout the remainder of the game. The home team shot 63.6 percent in the second half, including knocking down five of seven attempted 3-pointers. Conversely, AIC shot just 35.3 percent in the final 20 minutes, making only two of eight 3-pointers attempted.

After being held off the board in the first half, Chelsea Reeves recorded 18 of AIC's 40 points in the second, half of which came from the free throw line. The Owls had three double-digit second half scorers: Delaney Haines (14 points), Jillian Martin (12), and Hope Fox (11).

Three of AIC's four remaining regular season games are at home, a stretch beginning with a home date against the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen on Saturday, February 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on the NE10NOW Network and FloCollege.