Box Score 

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Senior G Erica Rate connected on a career-high eight three-pointers and finished with a career-high 28 points to help lead the Norwich University women's basketball team past Albertus Magnus College, 80-57, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament semifinal game Thursday evening at Andrews Hall.   

The second-seeded Cadets (20-6) now advance to the GNAC Tournament championship game where they will face top-seeded Emmanuel College on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. The Saints cruised past No. 5 seed Simmons College, 80-50, in their semifinal contest this evening.

Senior G Ally Daniels added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Cadets, while junior F Christine Daniels added 11 points and seven boards. Senior G Natalie Marchese dished out a game-high five assists to lead the Norwich offense, which assisted on 19 of 26 field goals.

Norwich got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 7-2 lead just four minutes into the contest. Albertus Magnus responded with a 10-2 run over the next four minutes to pull in front 12-9 at the 12:16 mark of the first half. A pair of triples by Rate ignited a quick 8-0 spurt to help Norwich move in front, 17-12, less than two minutes later.

The Falcons pulled to within three points (17-14) following a made basket, but a 12-2 run by the Cadets gave the hosts a 29-16 advantage with 5:16 to play before halftime. Rate dropped two more treys during the spurt, which put Norwich in full control of the game. NU's lead stayed in excess of nine points for the remainder of the stanza, and a jumper by Daniels just before the final buzzer gave the Cadets a commanding 40-24 cushion at the intermission.

Rate scored 20 points in the opening frame, burying 6-of-8 from long range. Ally Daniels chipped in 10 points during the half. Bianca Brown paced the Falcons with eight points.

The Cadets began the second half on a 9-3 spurt to open up a 49-27 lead just five minutes into the stanza. The Falcons got no closer than 14 points the rest of the way as Norwich cruised to the victory.

Kendrae Walker paced Albertus Magnus (13-14) with 15 points and six rebounds. Brown finished with 13 points and four boards for the Falcons, who shot just 34.9 percent (22-of-63) from the field in the game.

Norwich made 46.4 percent (26-of-56) of its shots from the floor, including 50 percent (9-of-18) from three-point range. Rate led the way, connecting on 8-of-11 from downtown.

The Cadets also held the advantage at the free throw line, converting 19-of-22 from the charity stripe compared to 11-of-16 for the Falcons. NU outrebounded AMC 46-30.