Stony Brook women move into CAA Tournament final against Drexel
Stony Brook guard Gigi Gonzalez. Credit: Stony Brook Athletics
WASHINGTON — With Stony Brook’s 59-51 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday, the Seawolves are one win from adding the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament title to their regular-season crown.
A victory on Sunday at the Entertainment and Sports Arena, home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, would give the Seawolves their second NCAA Tournament bid, three years after their first.
In Sunday’s final, the top-seeded Seawolves will play No. 7 Drexel, a 69-68 winner over No. 6 Towson. Stony Brook (27-3) was 2-0 against the Dragons (18-14) in the regular season.
Conference player of the year Gigi Gonzalez hit the big shots down the stretch, but it was Victoria Keenan, Khari Clark and others who kept the Seawolves in the game in the first half when Gonzalez was limited to 1:55 of playing time because of foul trouble.
“It was a team effort, as usual for us. It’s just really nice to see different people stepping up at different points in the game,” coach Ashley Langford said. “I’m really proud of our effort.”
Clark, who was named second-team all-CAA, scored 14 points to lead the Seawolves, who are in their second season in the conference. Keenan had 12 points and Gonzalez added nine. She entered the game averaging 15.9.
For the No. 4 Aggies (20-11), who also are in their second year in the CAA, Chaniya Clark had 13 points and 12 rebounds and D’Mya Tucker had 13 points and seven rebounds. Jordyn Dorsey, a first-team selection averaging 13.3 points, was held to two.
Despite Gonzalez’s foul troubles in the first half, the Seawolves built a 32-28 halftime lead. Clark and Keenan each had 10 points in the opening 20 minutes.
“It’s always hard when your point guard goes down in the first half . . . but we had players stepping up,” Clark said. “They had to do what they had to do.”
Freshman Janay Brantley contributed in ways that don’t show up in the boxscore.
“Without Janay Brantley in the first half playing point guard, we’re not even up at halftime,” Langford said.
The Seawolves led 45-38 after three quarters. Gonzalez scored Stony Brook’s first eight points of the fourth, hitting two three-pointers and a pair of free throws, for a 53-42 lead with 4:28 left.
“I call her ‘The Closer,’ and that’s for a reason,” Langford said. “She always has big fourth quarters. She’s just poised and ready for those moments.”