Aryn McClure Steps Up for QU Women’s Basketball in 76-60 Win at Siena

Sunday, February 12

Alumni Recreation Center - Loudonville, NY

2:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

20-6, 13-3MAAC

Siena

10-15, 9-7MAAC

Quinnipiac

Siena College

Aryn McClure Steps Up for QU Women’s Basketball in 76-60 Win at Siena

2/12/2017 6:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

McClure Tallies Season High 21 Points, Bobcats Secure Sixth Straight 20-Win Season

By: QU Sports Information

LOUDONVILLE, New York – A third straight complete 40-minute performance, headlined by a second straight season high scoring night from Aryn McClure (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.), paved the way to a dominating 76-60 victory for the Quinnipiac women's basketball team over Siena on Sunday afternoon from the Alumni Recreation Center.

Winners of three straight, outscoring their opposition by an average margin of +19.3 in the three-game span, Quinnipiac secured yet another 20-win season improving to 20-6 overall while remaining in first place in the MAAC standings at 13-3. The Bobcats guarantee themselves a sixth straight 20-win campaign, becoming just the 14^th team in the nation to do so as of this afternoon (Quinnipiac came into 2016-17 as one of 32 teams across the country to record five straight 20-win seasons).

McClure's outing was truly special as the sophomore dominated all phases of the game recording a season high 21 points (13 in the fourth quarter) while shooting 9-for-19 from the floor which included the first three-point make of her career (missed her first 22 attempts). McClure's second career 20+ point game (just one shy of her career high) included seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals to her stat line while staying out of foul trouble in a team high 34 minutes of action. Over the past week (two games), McClure has averaged 18.5 points (16-33 FG, 48.5 FG%), six rebounds, four assists and two steals as she led the way in convincing wins over Marist (79-57) and Siena (76-60).

As has been the case all season, the first quarter was a bit of a struggle for Quinnipiac as Siena kept with the MAAC-leading Bobcats and trailed by just a three-point margin (20-17) after the first 10 minutes of play. Quinnipiac led by five on two separate occasions but three three-pointers from Siena kept the score within reach.

Looking to snap a three-game MAAC road losing streak and keep pace with fellow frontrunner Rider (13-3 MAAC, Bobcats own tiebreak thanks to season series sweep), momentum took a turn in the Bobcats' favor early in the second as a 12-2 run over the course of 1:49 suddenly pushed the gap up to 13 points midway through the frame. Jen Fay (Lynbrook, N.Y.) spared the run with the first four points of the 10-point swing and capped the surge with her second triple of the first half.

Leading by 10 at the half, Quinnipiac wasn't about to let this one slip away as the Bobcats own an impressive mark of 61-2 (.968) since the start of the 2014-15 season in games in which the team leads at halftime. Defense dominated the third quarter both ways as neither team put forth an extended run (neither side scored more than four consecutive points in the frame) but the back-and-forth action allowed the Bobcats to hold a 54-44 advantage heading into the fourth.

With so much riding on every MAAC game from here on out, the big-time performers step up in the deciding moments and today was McClure's time to shine. With Siena trailing by just 10 with still plenty of time remaining (8:42), McClure shifted from being a distributor (four assists through first three quarters) into the go-to option as she scored 13 of her 21 points in the final frame including a series wherein McClure netted 13 of the Bobcats' 16 points in a span of 6:33 down the stretch.

McClure was simply remarkable, burying jump shots in transition, pulling up from three and backing her defender down into the low post and spinning baseline for an and-one that sealed the victory late. Quinnipiac's extended offensive success (29-61 FG, 47.5 FG%), combined with McClure's late-game heroics, proved the difference in what turned out to be a 16-point road win over Siena.

Four Bobcats hit double figures on the day as Fay (14 points, nine rebounds), Paula Strautmane (12 points, four assists, two blocks) and Sarah Shewan (10 points, four rebounds) littered the scoring column early and often. Adily Martucci and Carly Fabbri each added seven points for the Bobcats.

Siena's Jackie Benitez, who came in leading the MAAC averaging 16.6 points per game, struggled in this one from the floor as she shot just 5-of-14 for 15 points while she turned the ball over three times. In two games against the Bobcats this season, the MAAC's leading scorer has gone 9-for-29 (31 FG%) from the floor and 4-of-13 (30.8 3FG%) from deep while averaging more than four points (12 PPG) under her season average.

With just four regular season games remaining, the Bobcats head back home on Friday, February 17 for a huge showdown with Iona at 5 PM. The rematch of a 58-44 Iona victory from New Rochelle earlier this season can be seen live on ESPNU as the Bobcats will broadcast a home game on ESPNU for just the second time in program history.