Bycholski Ties a Career High With 22 Points Against UConn at Avery Point
Aimee Bycholski
MANCHESTER, Conn. (Feb. 19) – Freshman forward Casey Carpenter had game highs of 27 points and seven assists as the University of Connecticut at Avery Point women’s basketball team defeated Manchester Community College 72-58 in a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Region XXI game Monday night at East Catholic High School.
The Cougars (7-13 overall) finished fifth in NJCAA Division III Region XXI competition (4-6), one place shy of a postseason berth.
MCC sophomore forward/center Aimee Bycholski (MANCHESTER) tied her career high for points with 22 on Sophomore Night, the final regular season home game. She had 22 points three times during the 2005-06 season (versus Northern Essex Community College on Jan. 14, versus Bunker Hill Community College on Jan. 22 and versus Springfield Technical Community College on Feb. 1).
Bycholski’s 22 points were the most scored by an MCC player this season. She went 7-for-9 from the field and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Manchester Community College freshman forward Tina Pagano (ELLINGTON) totaled her team-best ninth double-double with 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Sophomore forward/guard Britt Olander (MANCHESTER) joined Bycholski and Pagano in double-figure scoring with 13.
Trailing 60-46 with 6:36 left, the Cougars went on a 10-1 run over a 4-minute, 5-second period to cut the Pointers’ lead to five, 61-56. Olander had four of her nine second-half points during the spurt. UConn at Avery Point (8-6, 5-5) proceeded to close out the game on an 11-2 run for the 14-point margin of victory.
Sophomore Night: The MCC Department of Athletics and
women’s basketball program honored its four sophomores in a
pre-game ceremony before the UConn at Avery Point game on
Feb. 19. Pictured are (left-right) assistant coach Yuri Westry,
assistant coach Katie Chilberg, Aimee Bycholski, Britt Olander,
Tiffany Arena, assistant coach Jon Carter, Natasha Lopez, coach
Robert Turner Jr.
The Pointers led by as many as 16 points in the second half, 51-35, with 11:09 remaining. MCC scored 10 out of the next 12 points in a 2-minute, 49-second spurt to trail by eight, 53-45. Bycholski totaled six of her 12 second-half points during the 10-2 run.
Manchester Community College led 24-19 with 6:21 left in a back-and-forth, lead-swapping first half. The Cougars built their five-point lead with a 9-0 run over a 3-minute, 38-second period. Olander had four points and Bycholski three during the spurt. UConn at Avery Point held a six-point halftime advantage, 32-26, as a result of a 13-2 run over the final six minutes.
The Pointers’ Shannon Holter totaled 22 points and a game-high eight steals.
MCC held a 43-30 rebounding advantage over UConn at Avery Point.
The Cougars’ 58 points were their highest total since a 64-58 overtime win against Bunker Hill Community College on Jan. 21.
Manchester Community College travels to Suffolk County Community College at Selden (N.Y.) for their season finale, a 1 p.m. NJCAA Division III game Saturday.
