JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The University of Dayton women’s basketball team advanced to the championship game of the Saint Peter’s College Holiday Classic with a 73-63 win over South Florida Wednesday night at the Yanitelli Center.
Senior Justine Raterman scored a game-high 26 points to pace the Flyers who improve to 7-4 overall. Freshman Andrea Hoover also scored in double figures with 14 points.
The Bulls drop to 7-6 with the loss.
Raterman scored 21 of her season-high 26 points on a career-high seven three-point field goals. Raterman moved to third on UD’s all-time career list for three-point field goals made. She needs 15 to move into second all-time and 60 to become the all-time leader.
Raterman also had a game-high nine rebounds, giving her 790 in her career and moving her to sixth all-time at Dayton. Seniors Elle Queen and Casey Nance each grabbed seven rebounds to help UD win the battle of the boards over USF 51-43.
Dayton started the game with an 8-3 lead, but went cold, missing nine consecutive field goals and USF used a 10-0 run to go up 19-11 with 9:19 to play in the half.
Raterman knocked down a three to end the drought and Nance converted in the lane to cut the USF lead to 19-16 with 8:30 left in the half.
The Flyers regained the lead, 24-22, on Raterman’s trey at 5:44 after a UD 8-0 run in about a minute’s time.
UD led 33-28 at the half. The Flyers are now 7-0 on the season when they lead at the half.
Dayton held its largest lead of the game, up 14, with 17:24 to play in the game. USF fought back and got within three, 60-57 with 3:59 to play on an 8-0 run.
In the final three minutes and 40 seconds of the game, Hoover converted 6-of-6 and Sam MacKay hit 4-of-4 from the free throw line and Raterman hit a three to help the Flyers pull out the victory down the stretch.
UD shot just 30.9 percent (21-of-68) from the field and 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from three-point range. The Flyers forced a season-high 26 turnovers and scored 24 points off the Bulls’ miscues.
Dayton plays the winner of the Binghamton/Saint Peter’s game Friday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m.at the Yanitelli Center in Jersey City.
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