Release courtesy of Pratt Athletics
BROOKLYN -- A 13-0 Cannoneers run out of halftime distanced Pratt in its 64-51 win over visiting Vaughn College Thursday night at the ARC.
Guard Carol Cai led Pratt with a season-high 16 points, 10 after halftime, adding five rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. Fellow junior Anna Bryce added 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and seven steals, leading the Cannoneers full-court press that stymied the Warriors offense in the second half.
Freshman AimeeLyn Miller turned in her finest effort as a Cannoneer. The 6-foot pivot stepped outside for back-to-back three pointers midway through the fourth quarter as part of a season-high 14-point, eight-rebound effort, converting on 6-12 shooting on the night.
For Vaughn, Alexus Butler led all scorers with 17 points, while Christina Rivers added 15.
A pair of Rivers free throws opened up a 9-2 Vaughn lead just 2:50 in, but Pratt center Amissa Epperson and guard Jennifer Klockner scored four points each in a 12-2 run that gave the Cannoneers a 14-11 lead. Butler's jumper midway through the second retook the lead for the Warriors at 22-20 before a Bryce layup at the 1:03 mark of the second sent Pratt into intermission clinging to a 30-29 lead, thanks in large part to a 27-20 advantage on the boards.
A Rivers jumper out of the break swung the lead in Vaughn's favor before layups from Miller and Klockner, both on feeds from Bryce, ignited Pratt's 13-0 run that gave the hosts the lead for good. The Cannoneers full-court press forced four turnovers in the run, two on Bryce steals.
Left open at the top of the key, Miller knocked down consecutive fourth-quarter treys in a 56-second span in upping the lead to 20, 60-40 and putting to rest any idea of a Warriors comeback.
For the game, Pratt out-rebounded Vaughn 58-40, with junior forward Chloe Icay leading the way with 11, followed by Bryce's nine. On the night he picked up his first career win as a head coach, Michael Williams' defense forced 28 turnovers and held the Warriors to 35 percent second-half shooting.
Pratt returns to play Friday night, playing host to Cooper Union at the ARC at 8:00 p.m.
