SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team lost to regionally-ranked American International College, 62-52, on Tuesday evening during Northeast-10 Conference play in Butova Gymnasium. The Yellow Jackets were ranked ninth in this week's D2CSC East Region poll.
 
RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (4-12, 0-10 NE10), AIC (10-5, 5-5 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• First-year Amber Furch (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood School), 15 points, 6 rebounds
• Junior Molly Brophy (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich Central School), 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 offensive rebounds, 3 steals, 6-for-12 field goals, 2-for-5 three-pointers
• Junior Brianna Furch (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood School/Cal State Fullerton), 9 points, 3 steals, 3-for-6 three-pointers
• Senior Paige Slaven (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven Regional), 8 points

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Senior Briana Lee, 21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 offensive rebounds, 5 steals, 8-for-9 field goals
• First-year Ruzgar Christina Boyle, 14 points, 4-for-6 three-pointers
• Junior Rhaymi Porter, 12 rebounds, 6 offensive rebounds, 3 blocks
• Junior Tia-Marie Martinez, 12 points
• Senior Nora Young, 10 points, 2 blocks

GAME FACTS

• The Purple Knights played their third straight opponent that was at least regionally ranked.

THE ACTION

• Three scorers helped the Yellow Jackets claim an 8-3 lead by 7:56 of the first quarter before the Purple Knights countered with a 7-2 run, going ahead 10-9 on senior Makayla Blake's (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) jumper at 2:36.
• Boyle (8) and Lee (11) combined for 19 points in a 21-7 response, and AIC led 30-17 with 2:40 left in the second stanza.
• First-year Bella Franchi (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) and Brophy knocked down late three-pointers 47 seconds apart to bring Saint Michael's within six by halftime, sparking a go-ahead 17-3 run. Brianna Furch drained a pair of triples in that stretch, including putting the visitors back in front at 34-33 at 6:40 of the third.
• Lee scored the next five points before Slaven's bucket had the Purple and Gold down 38-37 with 40 seconds to go.
• After AIC scored the next 11 points, Amber Furch twice brought her squad within seven points in the final 2:10 of the contest but no closer. The Yellow Jackets salted away the win by making all 10 free throw tries in the last 1:31.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Saturday vs. Adelphi University, 1:30 p.m.
• The Purple Knights are holding Coaches vs. Cancer and Youth Game events that day.