The Central Connecticut women’s basketball team tipped off their 2019-20 season with two losses on the road against Buffalo University and Pittsburgh University, losing 61-56 and 81-73 respectively.

The Blue Devils were competitive in both of their matchups but came up short.

Junior guard Emma McCamus led the way for the Blue Devils with 13 points, two rebounds, one assist and was tied for a team-high with three steals against the Buffalo Bulls.

Forwards Ashley Forker and Jamey Napoleon also had three steals in their season opener. Central forced 12 total turnovers against the Bulls. 

Freshman Napoleon kicked off her collegiate career with an additional nine points and seven rebounds while shooting .500 from the field (3/6).

Forward Ashley Chin was the second-leading scorer for Central, scoring 11 points while connecting on both of her three-pointers.

Defensively, the Blue Devils played a solid game in their first contest, holding the Bulls to 33.3% from the field and 13.3% from deep, however, they did not capitalize on it offensively, only shooting 27.3% from the field and 12.5% from three.

“We did not shoot the ball well, but we out-rebounded Buffalo and fought hard until the end,” head coach Beryl Piper said to CCSU Athletics. “I have to compliment the team on their effort and ability to rebound the basketball.”

Central out-rebounded Buffalo 48 to 43. Twenty-three of the Blue Devils’ rebound came on the offensive end but they only turned into 11 second-chance points.

They also shot better from the free-throw line compared to Buffalo, 70.4% to 57.6%.

Piper did see a positive from the first game of the season, however.

“We communicated a lot, which is a step in the right direction,” Piper continued.

The communication appeared to transition well against Pittsburgh. The Blue Devils led by 17 at halftime before the Panthers outscored them by 25 in the second half and pulled away for the victory.

Central shot 45.6% from the field and 48.3% from three while totaling 22 assists as a team despite losing.

“Our shooting percentage was amazing in the first half,” Piper said to CCSU Athletics. “But they applied a little pressure in the third and it took us out of the flow of our game.”

Central had four different double-digit scorers and were led by center Ashley Berube, who scored 18 points while shooting 80% from the field (8/10). Berube also added five rebounds and three assists.

Ashley Chin, Forker and Danielle Delano scored 12 each.

As a team, the Blue Devils hit 14 three-pointers against the Panthers, an improvement over the three they hit in their season opener.

They committed 21 turnovers and fouled Pittsburgh 22 times which led to 21 free-throw points for the Panthers.

CCSU returns home for their opener on Thursday, Nov. 14, to face off against the Brown University Bears who are 1-1 on the season so far.