STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Junior guard Danielle DiCintio scored 26 of her career-high 28 points in the second half as the Roberts Wesleyan University women's basketball team staged a valiant comeback effort against the College of Staten Island in its season finale on Saturday afternoon.
The Redhawks trailed 44-25 with 4:59 to play in the third quarter before DiCintio sparked a 14-4 run with two of her six three-pointers to bring Roberts within nine points at the start of the fourth quarter. The Redhawks cut the Dolphins lead to three points in the final two minutes before CSI eventually emerged with a 64-58 victory to earn a berth in the ECC postseason tournament.
"Dani played phenomenal," Roberts coach Kevin Clifford said. "She really put the team on her back and carried us today."
DiCintio made 6 of her 10 three-point attempts and went 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. She scored 17 points in the fourth quarter as Roberts (4-19, 3-13 ECC) battled to the end. DiCintio surpassed her previous career-high of 22 points set against Asbury in the National Christian College Athletic Association tournament last March. She also sank six three-pointers in that game.
Freshman Paris Anthony added nine points for Roberts on Saturday and sophomore Grace Dow equaled her career high 11 rebounds.
Roberts got off to a slow start, shooting just 21.4% from the field in the first half, before finding its shooting touch in the second half when the Redhawks made 7 of 12 (58.3%) of their three-point tries and went 14 of 16 (87.5%) from the free-throw line.
"I am proud of the team," Clifford said. "They were resilient and never gave up all year. It was a learning year and we learned a lot about our team. Sometimes it doesn't always show in the wins and losses, but we were a young team and we improved as the season went on. The future is bright."