• Box Score

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Dec. 6, 2011) - With two seconds remaining in over time, junior Rebecca Lynch (Hillsdale, N.J.) knocked down a jumper to lift NYIT women's basketball to a 76-74 victory over neighboring C.W. Post in its East Coast Conference season opener.

"I am so proud of my team and their commitment to fight," said head coach Anthony Crocitto. "Lynch and [Cierra] Baker were were vital reasons we succeeded tonight. Nikki Jo [Rotolo] and Chloe [Johnson] also played bit minutes for us and are improving each night. To win four of five at home is huge."

The Bears (4-3, 1-0 ECC) and Pioneers (5-3, 0-2 ECC) battled through three ties in over time. The last took away NYIT's two-point edge and knotted the score 74-74 with 28 seconds remaining. Junior Chantel Diaz (West Covina, Calif.) attempted two shots before the ball was knocked out of bounds by C.W. Post. The Bears regained possession and swung the ball over to Lynch who made the near buzzer beater.

NYIT was paced by senior Cierra Baker (Windsor, Conn.), who had a game-high 26 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Nikki Jo Rotolo (Rome, N.Y.) added 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

For C.W. Post, Nicolette Marciniak and Felicia Joyner each had 20 points, while Samantha Kopp grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.

The game was closely played from the very beginning and adding to the atmosphere was the "Voice of Madison Square Garden" Mike "Wally" Walczewski.

Baker made an opening layup to give NYIT its first lead of the game, but C.W. Post quickly knotted the score and claimed a five point lead on a layup from Joyner, 7-2. The first half was tied three more times before the Pioneers climbed to a nine-point advantage 26-17 with 6:50 to play. Yet, the Bears clawed away at the gap and brought the score within one point, 26-25, on a layup by Baker. Then with 1:48 remaining ECC Rookie of the Week Amber Davis (Mastic, N.Y.) knotted the score 28-28. However, the Pioneers would control the board 33-32 heading into half time.

The Bears stormed out on the court in the second half and fought to take their largest lead of the game 48-42 with 13:19 to go. Yet, seven straight points from Joyner put C.W. Post back on top 49-48. The Pioneers gained an eight point edge 58-50 with 7:25 to go but an 12-4 run by the Bears knotted the game 62-62 with 2:00 on the clock. However, it was C.W. Post who got the upper hand by two points on two occasions. With 14 seconds remaining a free throw by Marciniak put the Pioneers up 65-63 but Kopp would commit a foul that sent Baker to the line. She made both her shots to knot the score 65-65 and send the game into overtime.

NYIT returns to action on Monday, Dec. 12 on the road at Caldwell. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Caldwell, N.J.