Quinnipiac’s Mary Baskerville flew all over the court during Saturday afternoon’s 68-63 win against Siena. By the end of the second quarter alone, she already had a double-double. She finished the game out strong as well, totaling 16 points, a career-high of 20 rebounds and three blocks.

The Bobcats got off to a slow start at the beginning of the contest, turning the ball over three times. Siena then capitalized on those turnovers to take a 12-5 lead.

After the first media timeout, it was a different game from there on out. Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri switched her starters out for a new five. Two of the five players that checked in were Baskerville and Mackenzie DeWees. It was the first time since last season that DeWees stepped onto the home court.

“We were able to morph and handle a lot of adversity,” Fabbri said. “It is not going to be a full deck all of the time and when it starts to come together again, you get to see the beauty of us getting better.”

Particularly, the Quinnipiac frontcourt came alive in the second quarter.

Siena had trouble finding any openings and struggled to score with the pressure from the Bobcats’ defense.

The Bobcats eliminated the three-point shot from the Saints’ arsenal, outrebounded them 27-13, and they held them to eight points for the quarter. 

Baskerville, Cur’Tiera Haywood and Mikala Morris’s solid play on the defensive end gave Quinnipiac a 33-24 cushion going into the half.

“We are stepping into our prime play right now,” Baskerville said. “Each game we are taking steps forward of getting better as a team and we are going to a tough opponent with everybody we play.”

Coming out of the break, the Bobcats continued to dominate by letting their two guards take control of the game. Jackie Grisdale and Rose Caverly each created space on the floor for themselves to drive in for open layups.

In addition, Mackenzie DeWees got her moment as she knocked down her first points at home this season. The crowd and her teammates erupted for her when the shot fell in.

“Mack brings a different type of energy to the floor,” Grisdale said. “I think that showed throughout the game today and it is fantastic to have her back in practice and games.”

Siena tried to make a late comeback with a clutch three in the dying seconds from Teresa Seppala, but they fell short in the end.

With the win, Quinnipiac increased its winning streak to a season-best four games. The Bobcats also improved their conference record to 8-3. Meanwhile, Siena fell to 7-4 with the loss.

Now, the Bobcats will move along with their home slate as they welcome in the Rider Broncs next Thursday night at 6 p.m.