Augustine Posts Career High Double-Double as Women's Basketball Closes Out Upstate Swing against Daemen
Box Score AMHERST, N.Y. (Feb. 21, 2015)- Senior Tanayzha Augustine (Poughkeepsie, N.Y. / Poughkeepsie) posted a career-high with 29 points and 19 rebounds, as the Mercy College women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to the Wildcats of Daemen College, 79-76, in overtime on Saturday afternoon.
Shy Britton and Sarah Saba both scored 18 points apiece to help Daemen improve to 11-12 overall and 8-9 in the East Coast Conference. Junior Erin Copeland (Kansas City, Kan. /Univ. of Illinois-Springfield) nearly collected a triple-dobule with 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Mavericks fell to 8-17 overall and 2-16 in the ECC.
Daemen held a 61-60 lead as the game entered the final minute of play. After a missed layup by Saba, Leah McDonell grabbed the offensive board, only to have it stole away by Copeland. Copeland drove the length of the floor and hit senior Brandone Roberts (Jessup, Md. /Nyack College) for the jumper on the other end. Mercy took a 63-60 advantage with 19 seconds remaining. Daemen would force overtime on the very next possession as Raeann Stilwell connected on a triple from Britton with nine seconds remaining.
In the extra session, the Mavericks were playing catchup for most of the time, despite junior Deasia Goodson (Freeport, N.Y. / SUNYIT) making the first basket of overtime. Copeland connected on a triple with 48 seconds left to even the game at 74, but the Wildcats responded with a triple of their own by Stilwell that forced the Mavericks to call a timeout. Daemen took a five-point advantage on a pair of free throws, and the Mavericks attempts from long distance to tie the game didn't connect and Daemen took the three point victory.
Augustine was unstoppable in the first half, as she led all scorers with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Roberts finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Goodson finished with 11 rebounds.
Head Coach Rashidi Aikens and the Mavericks return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 24th, as they welcome the Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas College on Senior Day. Mercy will honor Augustine, Roberts and Riana Ward (Bronx, N.Y./ Erie CC) before the 5:30 tip-off.
