SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team opened 2025 with a 56-55 loss to American International College on Thursday evening during Northeast-10 Conference play in Butova Gymnasium.
 
RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (4-8, 1-5 NE10), AIC (8-5, 1-4 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Sophomore Jayla Tyler (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central/Saint Rose), 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5-for-9 field goals, 6-for-8 free throws
• Sophomore Ruby Santos (New Paltz, N.Y./Kent School), 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 5-for-11 field goals
• Senior Brianna Furch (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood School/Cal State Fullerton), 9 points, 3 steals
• Sophomore Ashlee Talbot (Dracut, Mass./Dracut), 7 points, 3 assists
• Senior Makayla Blake (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), 8 rebounds
• Sophomore Bella Franchi (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), 5 assists
• First-year Margaret Montplaisir (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth), 3 assists

OPPONENT LEADERS

• First-year Keyvanna Bennett, 15 points, 7 rebounds
• Senior Chelsea Reeves, 14 points, 6 rebounds
• Junior Ahliya Phillips, 13 points, 3 steals
• Senior Rhaymi Porter, 13 rebounds, 5 offensive rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks

GAME FACTS

• The Purple Knights played their fifth game this season decided by four points or fewer, with four contests being determined by two points or less.
• Saint Michael's picked up 15 assists on 21 baskets.

THE ACTION

• Reeves' three-point play had AIC up 7-2 by 6:27 of the first quarter, and Phillips' lay-in pushed the lead to 14-5 at 4:28.
• Santos scored the final five points of an 11-3 response that brought the visitors within 17-16, and the Purple Knights scored the first nine points of the second frame to lead 25-21 on Montplaisir's three-point play at 5:55.
• Four lead swings later, Bennett's put-back at the buzzer sent the teams into halftime tied at 32.
• Neither team led by more than four points in the second half until Talbot buried a three at 7:32 of the fourth quarter (49-44), and Furch followed with a jumper 47 seconds later to extend the lead to seven.
• Reeves netted the next five points to spark a go-ahead 10-2 run, which Bennett capped at 1:20 with a pair of free throws (54-53).
• Furch's put-back jumper provided Saint Michael's a 55-54 edge at 48.5 seconds, but sophomore Ruzgar Christina Boyle's two free throws at 45.5 ticks gave AIC a one-point lead.
• Saint Michael's had a chance to tie or go in front on its next possession but missed two free throws, and Furch's steal at 12 seconds gave her team another opportunity before a Purple Knight missed a winning three-point attempt just before the buzzer.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Sunday vs. Adelphi University, 1:30 p.m.
• The Panthers were eighth in the latest D2 CSC East Region poll.