The Emerson College women’s basketball team had plenty to be thankful for in their last game before Thanksgiving break. So did senior guard Bri Frongillo, who traded the warm West Coast skies of Emerson Los Angeles for the bitter Boston cold to make her season debut. The Lions defeated the Western New England University Golden Bears 67-58 last Tuesday, with Frongillo earning her 1,000th career point as part of a 19-point outing.
Following her achievement, Frongillo recalled when she eclipsed that mark in high school—twice—for over 2,000 points. She said that reaching the milestone in college is “a really special thing.”
“It’s just cool to be up on these banners for forever, basically,” she added, becoming the 25th Emerson basketball player—and sixth from the women’s team—to achieve that feat.
Head coach Bill Gould called Frongillo’s accomplishment “fantastic.”
“It’s good for her, it’s good for the program, and it’s good for the team. I was proud of how the team did, [and] I was proud of her,” he said.
Having returned from a stint at ELA, Frongillo reflected on her preparation for this season from afar. She said that because of a busy schedule, she wasn’t able to allocate as much time as she’d like to training or playing pickup games.
“But I got in the gym as much as I could, [got] shots up, still working out, still lifting so I could be prepared as I could be when I came back,” Frongillo added.
The Lions and Golden Bears traded buckets from the jump, with the latter drilling a three-pointer for a 7-4 lead with 6:26 remaining. It didn’t take long for Frongillo to get into a rhythm—as the reigning NEWMAC Athlete of the Year drove in and converted an and-one layup just five seconds after checking in off the bench, much to the delight of her teammates and coaches. Both sides battled for a narrow lead the rest of the quarter, with the Lions coming out on top at its end, 18-15.
The tight deficit continued into the second period as sophomore guard Jessie Silk drained a three to give the Lions a 23-20 lead with less than nine minutes remaining. Emerson and Western New England continued getting to the bucket with ease, scoring inside while drawing contact for the occasional free throws. A three from junior guard Kendra Dodd put Emerson up 30-27, and she swished another one moments later to give them a six-point cushion with three minutes left. The Golden Bears found the bottom of the net with a layup at the two-minute mark, the final basket before halftime, as the Lions clung to a 33-29 lead.
Western New England wasted no time scoring in the third quarter, draining a three 15 seconds in to make it a one-point game. A pair of free throws and a layup allowed them to regain the lead at the 8:38 mark. Threes from Frongillo and Dodd gave the Lions a 41-38 advantage with 7:09 remaining. After a flurry of ties and lead changes over the next few minutes, Silk’s three broke a 42-42 stalemate with two minutes remaining, and junior forward Claire English’s spin move and layup extended the lead to five. The Golden Bears earned two more points from the free-throw line to wrap up the quarter, with Emerson leading 47-44.
The Lions gained little separation in the final frame, as the Golden Bears stayed in the fight behind layups and three-pointers. With Emerson up by three, Dodd canned a corner three at the 2:07 mark to give the Lions a 58-52 lead, and after a WNE layup, sophomore guard Lindsay Gould and the Golden Bears traded shots from the perimeter. The Lions led 61-57, with 36 seconds remaining.
Emerson closed the win out with free throws in the last 30 seconds, with Silk and Frongillo each going two-for-two in their respective trips to the line. With 17 seconds to play, and Frongillo fouled once more, her first free throw gave her 1,000 career points, leading to massive cheers from the bench. She swished one more for good measure, leading to a nine-point Lion victory.
In addition to Frongillo’s team-high 19 points, Silk tallied 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Dodd finished with 12 points on four three-pointers.
Coach Bill Gould emphasized execution as a turning point in the victory, with one of the Lions’ first set plays coming in the second half.
“We didn’t do anything crazy, we didn’t run any different plays, we just started executing,” he said, adding that a five-guard lineup, clutch buckets from English, and improved rebounding were pivotal. “Our team just played better towards the end.”
Going forward, Bill Gould believes getting Frongillo and the team on the same page is a priority during the nonconference slate.
“Getting her into a rhythm, getting us into a rhythm with her, I think that’s going to be a big deal,” he said. “And just trying to figure out what’s the best way to utilize all of these kids.”
Frongillo hopes the Lions can continue to build off their success last year, finishing as one of the top five teams in the NEWMAC and securing the program’s first playoff appearance in five years.
“I think we had a really strong year last year, and we kind of trailed off at the end, so I think just keeping that consistency throughout [is key],” she said. “Starting it now at the beginning of the season, and carry that through. Continue to play for each other with intensity.”
The Lions are back in action on Dec. 4, dueling the Emmanuel College Saints on the road at 7 p.m.
