Box Score RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Felician University women's basketball team made its return to the hardwood on Thursday afternoon, opening its 2021 season with a 77-69 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference loss to visiting Georgian Court University at Job Gymnasium. As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Felician was playing for the first time since Feb. 29, 2020.
The contest marked the beginning of the 25th season in the history of the Golden Falcon program. Georgian Court (3-0, 3-0 CACC) is ranked fourth in the latest NCAA Division II East Region media poll.
Sophomores Briana Lee (Jersey City, N.J./Irvington) and Haylee Ramirez (North Bergen, N.J./Hudson Catholic) scored 20 points each for Felician, with Lee adding 14 rebounds and five steals. Georgian Court freshman Anyssa Fields (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch) accumulated 32 points and 17 rebounds.
GCU took the lead for the first time, 54-53, following a Fields lay-up with 1:00 left in the third quarter. The Lions exited the period with a 56-53 bulge and never trailed again. Fields tallied 21 second-half points, including 12 in the final period to help hold off the hosts.
GCU led by as many as nine points early in the fourth quarter, 65-56. The Golden Falcons pulled to within 65-63 on a Lee bucket with 5:59 left to play, but a pair of three-pointers by Fields sandwiched an Andejela Kremenovic (Banja Luka, Bosnia/Gymnasium Banja Luka) lay-up as the visitors pulled away.
Felician recorded the game's first eight points and led by as many as nine in the early-going. By the end of the first period, GCU had closed its deficit to 22-20. Felician led, 38-37, at halftime. The Golden Falcons' efforts were hampered by their 33 turnovers, while the Lions survived a 10-for-21 day at the free-throw line.
Felician will travel to Nyack College on Sunday for a noon tip. No spectators are allowed at CACC events this season; check www.caccnetwork.com for webstream details.
