Release courtesy of CNR Athletics

BROOKLYN, NY – The College of New Rochelle captured the Dr. Betty Shabazz Tournament Championship Sunday with a 91-86 overtime win over Yeshiva University at the Cougar Cave on the Medgar Evers College campus.  Sophomore Jasmine Brandon was named Tournament MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament team by junior Jah-Leah Ellis.
 
Brandon tallied a career-high 45 points to lead all scorers, adding 17 points for her third double-double of the season.  Ellis chipped in with her fifth double-double, recording 26 points and matching Brandon's game-high 17 rebounds.  Alyssa Pechin added 12 points, five assists and five steals.
 
After falling short in the championship game each of the last two years, the Blue Angels were not to be denied, prevailing in the programs first overtime game since November 20, 2005.
 
The outcome looked bleak in the first half, as the Maccabees led by 17, 34-17, with 4:08 to go before the half before the Blue Angels began to claw back into the game.  Brandon touched off a 14-0 run with the first of nine points during the spurt, helping CNR draw to within three, 34-31, before a late Yeshiva three pointer allowed the Macs to take a 37-31 lead into the break.
 
Yeshiva pushed the lead back to 10 in the early stages of the second half before the Blue Angels slowly whittled away at the lead, eventually drawing even at 54-54 following a Pechin jumper with 9:44 remaining.  The game see-sawed at that point, with neither team taking control until a 10-1 run by the Macs gave them a seven point cushion, 72-65, with 2:46 on the clock.  Brandon again asserted herself, scoring 11 points in a 13-5 run to end the second half to knot the score and force overtime.
 
Pechin open the extra session with a jumper to put the Blue Angels ahead for good, leading by as many as six before Pechin closed out the game by sinking five of eight attempts from the charity stripe.

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Release courtesy of Yeshiva Athletics

BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The Yeshiva women's basketball team lost in overtime, 91-86, against the College of New Rochelle (CNR) in the championship game of the Dr. Betty Shabazz Tournament hosted by Medgar Evers College.
 
With the loss, the Maccabees fall to 2-4 overall, while CNR is now 6-1 on the season.
 
Despite the loss, Yeshiva had three players earn double-doubles. The Macs were led by Julia Owen with 27 points and 14 rebounds. She also had six assists, a pair of steals, and she was named to the All Tournament Team. Haley David notched 18 points and 13 rebounds in the contest, while Rebecca Yoshor added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Yeshiva also had a solid game from Stephanie Greenberg with 25 points and seven assists.
 
CNR had amazing performances by teammates Jasmine Brandon and Jah-Leah Ellis. Brandon poured in 45 points and grabbed 17 rebounds en route to being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Ellis had 26 points and 17 boards and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
Though CNR won the contest, it was the Maccabees who led most of the way. Yeshiva took the lead from the opening tap, and the Maccabees led by as much as 17 in the game. Yeshiva led by that margin with 4:08 to go in the first half on a three point field goal by David that put the Maccabees ahead 34-17.
 
The Blue Angles stayed in the contest and got the Maccabees lead down to three in the final minute of the first half before Yeshiva went into halftime ahead by six at 37-31.
 
The second half saw a few ties, but Yeshiva maintained the lead most of the way. CNR took its first lead of the game with 7:42 remaining as the Blue Angles went up 59-58 at that point.
 
But the Maccabees retook the lead and eventually led by as much as seven, and Yeshiva was up 72-65 with 2:46 to go. CNR immediately followed that with an 8-0 spurt to take a 73-72 advantage with just under two minutes to go.
 
With the score tied in the final minute, neither team capitalized on their chances as regulation ended with the score tied 78-78.
 
In the extra session, the Blue Angles led the entire way to steal the win. CNR scored the first four points in overtime and led by as much as six before it ended.
 
CNR outscored Yeshiva 38-2 on points off the bench and 52-28 on points in the paint.
 
The Blue Angles went to the free throw line 41 times and made 23 foul shots, while the Maccabees went to the charity stripe 21 times and shot 10-for-21.
 
Yeshiva returns to action on Wednesday for a contest at York College at 8 p.m.