WEST POINT, N.Y. (3/8/08)—Colgate senior Caitlin Gillard (Vestal, N.Y.) scored a season-high 19 points and collected a game-high five rebounds in a 70-46 loss to top-seeded American University in the Patriot League Women’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals. The Eagles advance to the semifinals against the winner of the Bucknell/Army game.

 

Gillard finished 8-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe in her final collegiate game. Rookie Sami Kozlowski (New Market, Md.) added eight points, while sophomore Katie Garman (Poplar Grove, Ill.) and freshman Krista Moser (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) both had seven points apiece. Moser also had five rebounds.

 

“I just knew I had to give it my all because it’s March and crazy things happen,” Gillard said. “I knew it was the last time I wear this jersey and I just wanted to go out and give it everything I had.”

 

American’s defense and offensive rebounding was the story of the first half as the Eagles tallied 19 points off of turnovers and got 12 second-chance points in the opening 20 minutes. 

 

The two teams traded baskets in the early going with the squads tied at six points apiece 4:33 into the game. The Eagles scored the next five points for an 11-6 lead before the Raiders pulled within three again at 13-10 with a basket from Garman with 11:12 on the clock. Gillard had Colgate’s first eight points of the game.

 

The Eagles picked up their defensive pressure in the final 11 minutes of the opening stanza, forcing the Raiders into 10 turnovers. American capitalized on their defensive pressure and offensive boards to go on a 27-5 run to close out the half.

 

American held the Raiders without a basket for the final 5:53 and to just five points in those final 11 minutes. The Eagles dominated the paint, shooting 57.7 percent from the floor, including getting 16 points in the paint. Colgate shot 26.9 percent from the field, getting eight points in the paint.

 

Colgate came out of the locker room and got into a better offensive rhythm. The Raiders surpassed their 15 points in the first half with 16 points in the first seven minutes of the second period and shot 40.7 percent overall in the half. Colgate also drastically reduced its turnovers with just four giveaways. American, however, continued their hot shooting as it never let Colgate within 18 points. The Eagles always had an answer to a Raider charge as they continued to find the open looks.

 

The outstanding rebounding effort continued in the second half for American. Holding a 20-10 advantage after the first half, the Eagles continued to hit the boards hard and finished with a 38-19 edge.

 

Colgate shot 34 percent for the game after a much improved second half, while American shot 53.1 percent for the entire contest. The Eagles got 32 points in the paint to Colgate’s 16 and had 22 points off of turnovers.

 

The Raiders close out the season with a 1-29 record, while American moves on with an 18-12 mark.