Waltham, Mass. (March 11) -- Led by a career-high 28-point performance by sophomore Gabrielle Gibson (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague), the Assumption women's basketball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament with a 74-64 victory over No. 5 seed Saint Rose on Friday night at Bentley University's Dana Center.

Saint Rose jumped out to a 17-11 lead with 13:15 left in the first half before the Greyhounds answered with an 8-0 run over the next 2:15 to seize the 19-17 lead. Assumption took the lead on a three-point play from Sabrina Siciliano (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield-Warde) as she scored on a fast-break layup and converted the free throw. After the Golden Knights tied the game on a layup from Jessica Walton just moments later, Assumption put together a 13-0 run to take control at 32-19 with 5:23 left. Saint Rose cut the lead to 10 in the final minutes before the Greyhounds took the 38-25 lead into the halftime break. Gibson led all scorers for Assumption with 15 first-half points as the Greyhounds shot a blistering 64 percent from the field in the period.

In the early minutes of the second half, the Greyhounds pushed the lead to as many as 15 points at 49-34 after a three-pointer from the corner by Gibson. A quick 5-0 lead cut the advantage down to 10 and on pair of free throws from Lynsey Timbrouck with 8:42 left, the Golden Knights were back within five for the first time since early in the first half. The Greyhounds committed their 10th foul of the period with 9:41 remaining, putting the Golden Knights into the bonus for the remainder of the game.

The lead got all the way down to 56-55 with 7:12 left, Assumption went on a quick 7-0 run, capped by a layup from junior Kelly Meredith (Franklin, Mass./Franklin), to extend the lead back to 63-55 with 5:08 on the clock. After Ali Johnson cut the lead back down to 64-62 with a layup with 2:49 left, but the Greyhounds closed the game on a 10-2 run to come away with the double-digit win and advance.

Gibson led the Greyhounds with 28 points as four Assumption players finished up in double figures. In addition to Gibson, the Hounds got 13 points from Katy Howard (Medway, Mass./Medway), 12 points from Meredith and 10 points from senior captain Molly Griffiths (Walpole, Mass./Ursuline Academy).

Johnson led four Golden Knights in double figures with a 13-point effort in the loss.

With the win, the Greyhounds improve to 22-7 overall and tie the program's single-season record for victories, while Saint Rose ends its season at 21-8. Assumption now faces top-seeded and No. 15 nationally-ranked Bentley University in the East Regional semifinals on Sunday, March 13. That game is slated for a 2:30 p.m. tipoff at the Dana Center. The Greyhounds fell to the Falcons by a 67-61 final at Laska Gym in the only meeting between the two teams this season.

At Waltham, Mass. (Dana Center)

ASSUMPTION 74, SAINT ROSE 64

ASSUMPTION (22-7) -- Gabrielle Gibson 10-14 4-5 28; Katy Howard 5-13 1-4 13; Kelly Meredith 6-7 0-2 12; Molly Griffiths 3-10 4-5 10; Jamie Insel 2-2 1-2 5; Sabrina Siciliano 2-3 0-0 4; Tafanie Roye 1-1 0-0 2; Shannon Ray 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-50 10-18 74.

SAINT ROSE (21-8) -- Ali Johnson 3-8 7-9 13; Lynsey Timbrouck 3-6 3-4 11; Ola Shajuyigbe 4-19 2-4 11; Amy Voelkel 3-9 4-6 10; Ashley Rath 3-7 0-0 7; Alison McGrath 2-4 0-1 4; Adrianna Gaeta 1-2 2-2 4; Jessica Walton 1-1 0-0 2; Rachel Coryea 1-2 0-0 2; Emily Trapp 0-1 0-0 0; Liz Tremblay 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-59 18-26 64.

Halftime: Assumption 38-25; 3-point goals--Assumption 6-14 (Gabrielle Gibson 4-6; Katy Howard 2-5; Molly Griffiths 0-3), Saint Rose 4-18 (Lynsey Timbrouck 2-3; Ola Shajuyigbe 1-11; Ashley Rath 1-2; Rachel Coryea 0-1; Amy Voelkel 0-1). Fouled out--Assumption-None, Saint Rose-Amy Voelkel. Rebounds--Assumption 40 (Jamie Insel 7; Sabrina Siciliano 7; Molly Griffiths 7), Saint Rose 27 (Amy Voelkel 10). Assists--Assumption 7 (Sabrina Siciliano 2), Saint Rose 13 (Lynsey Timbrouck 9). Total fouls--Assumption 22, Saint Rose 16. Technical fouls--Assumption-None, Saint Rose-None.

NCAA Div. II East Regional Game 4: #4 Assumption vs. #5 Saint Rose

Assumption advances to semifinals and will play Bentley Sunday afternoon