BROOKLYN --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College women's basketball held a 23-point scoring edge Friday evening to top the Medgar Evers College Cougars (2-5, 0-1 CUNYAC), 76-53, claiming victory on the road in their CUNYAC opener inside Cougars Cave. The triumph is York's 24th consecutive win against the Cougars dating back to February 2009. 

How it Happened

• York flew out to an 8-2 lead at the 6:48 mark.
• The two teams traded baskets the rest of the first quarter, as a free-throw from Medgar Evers's Sheily Quezada ended the scoring with York up 20-14.
• Down 30-22, the Cougars closed the half on a 10-2 run, as Jennifer Metra's fastbreak layup with 24 seconds remaining evened the score at 32.
• Medgar Evers opened the half on a 7-3 spurt, taking a 39-35 advantage with 7:53 left in the third stanza. 
• York answered with a 17-0 run to regain a 13-point advantage.
• During the spurt, a jumper by Ellma Hodzic gave the Cardinals the lead for good with 5:43 remaining in the third. 
• The Cardinals played with a double-digit lead for the final 10:29, as York's surplus grew to as many as 24 points (74-50).

Speaking about the strong second half, head coach Kimani Jackson said: "We were struggling in our man to man defense and switched it up in the 2nd half which allowed us to contain them more. [We were] able to come out in the half and fix a few of our mistakes, not allowing the pressure defense and loud gym get to them."

Inside the Box Score
Hodzic was solid all around, totaling 18 points (8-of-18 FG, 2-of-4 3FG), eight assists, five rebounds, four blocks, and three steals to pace York in victory. Imani Gibson got the starting nod to produce career-highs of 20 points (9-of-12 FG) and 13 rebounds (five offensive) to register her first-career double-double. Mac-Dege Dessources went for 16 points (7-of-10 FG), 14 rebounds, and four blocks to post her 47th-career double-double (sixth of the season). Kristina Sierra added 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block while Alicia Gumbs chipped in eight points, seven assists, and four steals. Faith Howes nabbed a pair of steals off the bench.

Quezada (10-of-19 FG) poured in 26 points to lead all scorers. Quezada also compiled seven rebounds, six blocks, and three steals to her stat line. Mariam Gueye netted 14 points, and Metra added nine points and a team-best eight rebounds.

York shot a season-high 48.6 percent (34-of-70 FG) from the field. Meanwhile, their firm defense held the Cougars to 32.2 percent (20-of-62 FG) shooting. Inside, York held the rebounding edge (52-31) and had almost double the points in the paint (52-28). The Cardinals also outplayed Medgar Evers in assists (23-6), steals (13-12), and blocks (10-8).

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