Central women’s basketball took care of business on Thursday, Feb. 22, stifling the Wagner College Seahawks 69-61 in Detrick Gymnasium.
The win raises Central’s record to 5-7 in Northeast Conference play as they battle to secure a berth in the NEC tournament. Wagner’s conference record drops to 3-9 with the loss.
The story of the game for the Blue Devils was efficient shooting. They shot 49.2% from the field and a blistering 45.5% from three-point range.
Four Blue Devils scored in double figures in the game. Junior Amaya Williams had a season-high 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting, and sophomore Samora Watson matched her with 15 points of her own. Watson also paced the Blue Devils in rebounding, pulling down eight boards.
Senior Belle Lanpher, fresh off of her 1000th point, was right behind with 13 points. She was matched by sophomore Alonna Sellers, a recent addition to head coach Way Veney’s starting lineup.
Veney said her team plays better when they keep the ball moving.
“We play our best basketball when we share the ball like that,” Veney said. “We’ve been successful when we’ve had that type of contribution from so many people.”
Watson backed up her coach’s sentiment.
“We just needed to box out, and we needed to share the ball,” Watson said. “We did a good job tonight, and you see what happens when we share the ball.”
As the primary ball handler, Williams’ focus was on efficiently moving the ball.
“We just wanted to execute the offense and break their press,” Williams said. “We kept composed.”
In addition to her work on offense, Sellers was a force on defense. She swatted three shots and came up with three steals, both season highs. She effectively kept Wagner’s guards out of the paint, causing the Seahawks to pivot to jumpers on a consistent basis.
The Blue Devil defense overall was integral to the win, as they forced 22 turnovers. The turnovers turned into easy points time and time again, for a total of 27 points off turnovers from Central to just 15 from Wagner.
CCSU also outpaced Wagner in fastbreak points, 17-8. Veney’s team likes to get out and run in transition, a staple of their offense, and it paid dividends in the game.
The Blue Devils take on in-state rival Sacred Heart University on Saturday, Feb. 24, to continue their battle toward a tournament berth. Central will also celebrate Senior Day before the game.
