Basketball Falls in Overtime at Dean, 75-66

FRANKLIN, Mass. -- The Simmons University women's basketball team fell to host Dean College, 75-66, in overtime this evening in Franklin, Mass. The Sharks fall to 1-7 on the season, while the Bulldogs improve to 4-5. 

FRANKLIN, Mass. -- The Simmons University women's basketball team fell to host Dean College, 75-66, in overtime this evening in Franklin, Mass. The Sharks fall to 1-7 on the season, while the Bulldogs improve to 4-5. 

Simmons dominated the glass, 62-38 and held Dean to just 33.3% (27-81) shooting, but was unable to overcome 38 turnovers as the Bulldogs outscored their guests, 35-5, in points off turnovers. 

Sophomore guard Cassandra Stapelfeld (Brookline, N.H.) scored 17 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out three assists for the Sharks, while senior forward Molly Phillips (Cranston, R.I.) posted a double-double of 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in addition to a career-best six blocked shots and six assists. Senior guard Francesca Corsinetti (Johnston, R.I.) came off the bench to net 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers to go with five rebounds. Senior forward Lauren Brandau (Madison, Conn.) ripped down a career-high 15 rebounds and added four points, two blocks and a steal.

First year guard Makayla Rudder (Springfield, Mass.) led all scorers with 23 points, including seven in overtime, on 9-18 from the floor and pulled down seven rebounds, made five steals and handed out a pair of assists to lead Dean. Senior guard Lindia Pina (Carver, Mass.) netted 20 points and added 10 rebounds, six steals and an assist, while sophomore guard Nicole Romero (Winchendon, Mass.) chipped in with 18 points, two rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

Sophomore guard Suzie Cosme (Framingham, Mass.) knocked down a jumper with 4:08 to play in the fourth quarter to give Simmons a 60-51 lead. The Bulldogs reeled off nine straight points over the next two-plus minutes, including seven points and a three-pointer from Rudder that pulled the home team even at 60-60 with 1:51 showing on the fourth quarter clock. Stapelfeld converted a pair of free throws with 93 seconds left to give the Sharks a 62-60 margin, but Rudder made one of two free throws with 1:16 left and senior guard Jamaya Cleveland (Greensboro, Ga.) canned one of two free throws as well with 43 ticks left to knot the score at 62-62. Neither team could score before the final regulation horn sounded.

Rudder scored the first six points of the extra period to give Dean a 68-62 advantage with 4:03 to play in the game. The Bulldogs later maintained a 71-63 cushion with 2:27 remaining in the contest. Corsinetti canned a trifecta at the 2:24 mark to pull Simmons to within 71-66, but it was as close as it would get.

First year guard MiAngela Ramos (Hamden, Conn.) drained a three-pointer to cut the Sharks' deficit to 12-9 with 3:40 to go in the opening quarter. Dean closed out the half with seven unanswered points to take a 19-9 lead into the second period. Pina sank a pair of free throws to extend the Bulldogs margin to 23-11, but Simmons put together a 20-6 stretch, fueled by nine points from Stapelfeld, to take a 31-29 lead before the end of the half.

The teams were tied at 33-33 with 8:30 left in the third quarter, before the Sharks scored the next five points, capped by a three-point play from Corsinetti to give Simmons a 38-33 lead with 5:47 to go in the third quarter. Pina made a layup later in the quarter go tie the game at 42-42 for Dean at the 2:07 mark, but Simmons regrouped and scored six of the final seven points to take a 48-43 lead into the fourth quarter. The Sharks took their largest lead of the night when Corsinetti connected for a three-pointer at 7:15 of the fourth quarter to give them a 55-45 lead and later owned a 60-51 advantage before the Bulldogs comeback.

Simmons returns to action on Saturday, December 8 when it hosts nearby Wentworth Institute of Technology at Moore Gymnasium for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off, while Dean heads to Bridgewater, Mass. on December 6 for a 5:30 contest with Bridgewater State University.