CRAWFORD SHINES ON SENIOR DAY IN PRIDE WIN

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College senior Stephanie Crawford (Rockland, Mass.) scored 16 points to go with four rebounds and three assists as the Pride celebrated their annual Senior Day with a 64-40 victory over visiting Elms College on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference women's basketball action. The Pride improves to an unblemished 17-0 mark in the NECC, while moving to 20-4 overall this year and all but wrapping up the top seed in the upcoming NECC postseason. Elms drops to 16-7 overall and 13-3 in league play with the setback.

It was a busy day for the Pride as they celebrated their annual "Think Pink Day" and collected donations to help support Breast Cancer Awareness. In a ceremony following the game, the Regis women's basketball team honored its two senior captains in Crawford and Stefanie Wozmak (Auburn, N.H.) for all that they have accomplished both athletically and academically. Regis also celebrated head coach Julie Plant's 100th victory of her career which she earned last weekend in a win over Wheelock.

All of this on a day they hosted Elms College, currently second in the NECC and trying to push for the top spot in the conference.

In a game the Pride never trailed, Elms tied the game early on at 2-2 on a basket by Emily Boucher (Ashburnham, Mass.) before the Pride went on a 9-0 run to take an 11-2 lead, as Sabree Rodriguez (Brockton, Mass.) converted a three-point play. Claire Ramonas (Portland, Maine) gave the Pride its largest lead of the half at 31-16 when she corralled a Janaya Bradley (New Haven, Conn.) miss as the shot clock expired and laid it home with 3:08 remaining in the opening frame. Elms would not go quietly however, as the Blazers ended the half on a small 6-0 run – including a jumper as time expired from Erika Murphy (Torrington, Conn.) – to make it a 31-22 deficit headed into the break.

Emilee Marro (Bedford, N.H.) led the Pride at the half with 10 points and six rebounds. Sabree Rodriguez and Steph Crawford each chipped in six points while Ramonas and Rodriguez grabbed four rebounds apiece. Elms was led by 12 points from Erika Murphy and seven rebounds from Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.). Parks and Jen Normandie (Westford, Mass.) also added four points each.

Claire Ramonas scored the first four points of the half to push the Pride lead back to 13 in the first 2:28 of action. Elms senior Carolyn Talmadge's (Wilbraham, Mass.) step-back three-pointer made it a 10 point game and a jumper by Erika Murphy cut the lead back to single digits at 37-29 with 12:41 remaining in regulation. Regis again tried to stretch its lead out, and were up by 12, before back-to-back jumpers by Normandie and Talmadge cut it back to an eight point deficit.

The Pride were finally able to gain some breathing room as they went on an 8-0 run with baskets by four different players to make it a 16 point game (49-33) with 7:18 showing on the clock. With 5:18 remaining, Stephanie Crawford drove to the paint and kicked out to an open Teresa Busiek (Arlington, Mass.), who buried the deep three-pointer that gave the Pride a 22 point lead and sealed the win for Regis.

Regis won the rebounding battle 44-37 while forcing 21 Elms missteps, which the Pride converted into 27 points. The Pride also dominated points in the paint, 34-10, while outscoring the Blazers on the fast break, 12-0.

Crawford and Emilee Marro led all scorers with 16 points apiece. Marro also added nine rebounds to go with two steals and two assists. Claire Ramonas posted her second-straight double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, including five offensive boards, and added a game-high four steals. Janaya Bradley dished out a game-high four assists in the win.

For Elms, Erika Murphy led the team with 14 points, while Denisha Parks had nine points and 13 rebounds. Jen Normandie came off the bench to chip in six points and three rebounds, while Ellen Donohue (Southington, Conn.) swiped a team-high three steals and added three assists.

The Crimson and Gold wrap up regular season play next Saturday when the Pride tries to improve to 18-0 in the NECC against Bay Path College in Longmeadow, Mass. at 1:00 p.m. Elms looks to bounce back on Wednesday night when the Blazers travel to Becker College for a 7:00 p.m. tip against the Hawks.