Wildgoose Garners Third CACC Rookie Award, McDonough Draws Honor Roll Mention
New Haven, Conn. - (12/7/2015) – For a third week in a row Jaeda Wildgoose (Somerset, N.J.) was selected as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Rookie of the Week. The Griffins freshman forward averaged 12.0 points-per-game (PPG), 7.0 rebounds-per-game (RPG), while recording three assists, two blocks, and a steal in a 1-1 week that included a 76-65 league win over Georgian Court University. McDonough offered 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a block, and three steals versus the Lions, drawing a mention on the CACC Weekly Honor Roll.
Home for the first time this season, it took Chestnut Hill College the first half to find their stride in Wednesday evening’s CACC contest versus Georgian Court University. Forcing the Lions hand, the Griffins captured a 76-65 league win with a 14-point edge at the free throw line and 27 points McDonough serving as the determining factors.
McDonough fed off her recent career performance, coming just a point shy of repeating it in tonight’s triumphant home, and league, opener. Wasting no time, she scored 10 of Chestnut Hill College’s (3-2, 1-0) first dozen points, pacing them to a 12-5 advantage with a three-point basket on the assist of freshman guard Mary Trossi (Somerset, N.J.) at 7:23 of the first quarter. Georgian Court University (0-7, 0-3) evened the spread by the end of the frame, 14-14, and held the edge for most of the second quarter. They surrendered the lead to Chestnut Hill College just past the four-minute mark (3:58), when a layup from Trossi put the Griffins in the driver’s seat, 26-25. Still the Lions lingered just two points behind at halftime, 31-29.
The Lions opened the second-half scoring with a three-point basket at 9:35 giving the visitors a 34-31 edge. Junior forward Caity Kuhnen (Binghamton, N.Y.) answered for the Griffins, scoring five consecutive points to trigger a 16-8 run that brought the home team to a 50-39 lead with 3:53 remaining in the third quarter. From there, the Griffins did not look back as a pair of turnovers and a couple of missed shots allowed Chestnut Hill College a series of easy buckets. They grew their lead to 10 points, 54-44, by the end of the quarter and expanding it to as many as 16 points, 60-44, early in the fourth (8:49). That would be enough to withstand a late Lion push that cut the margin to five points, 64-59 (5:05), but quickly subsided in an 11-point Griffin victory, 76-65.
McDonough made 9-of-17 (.529) from the floor and 5-of-8 (.625) from the free throw line in her second straight 20-point performance. Wildgoose was the second of three Griffins in double figures, finishing with 14 points while registering six rebounds, an assist, and two steals.
A six-game stretch of road games began on Saturday, December 5, with a 77-66 loss at the Mercy College Gymnasium. Four Griffins finished in double figures with a first career double-double from junior forward Lauren Milligan (South Hampton, England), 10 points and 11 rebounds, headlining the group. Wildgoose offered 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal, while McDonough totaled two rebounds and an assist.
The Griffins resume their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) with their next road game; a 6:00 p.m. tip-off is scheduled at Goldey-Beacom College on Tuesday, December 8.
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