New York, NY --- The #1 seed Brooklyn College Women's Basketball team was unable to dethrone the reigning City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Champions # 2 seed Baruch College, as the Bearcats claimed their fifth straight CUNYAC/Con Edison Women's Basketball Championship this afternoon at Nat Holman Gymnasium on the campus of the City College of New York (CCNY), downing the Bulldogs by a score of 65-49.

The championship final featured a game of two halves, as the first belonged to the Bulldogs, while the second and crucial half belonged to the Bearcats, who have now won six of the past seven conference championships. Baruch improves to 19-9 on the season and receives the conference's automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division III National Tournament.

The Bulldogs used a key 15-2 run late in the first half to take control of the game. Following a three pointer from Baruch's Jessica Duleba that gave the Bearcats a 17-16 lead with 5:01 remaining in the game, the Bulldogs would go on their run to take a 31-19 lead, their largest of the game, four minutes later with just 1:01 left in the period. Brooklyn would take a 31-21 advantage into the halftime break.

Senior Lauren Plagainos helped fuel the run with a pair of threes, while freshman Nicole Francomano added five points. Francomano led all scorers in the opening half with 13 points, while Plagainos had eight points.

The Bulldogs held the Bearcats to just 21.1% (8-38) shooting from the field in the half, including 22.2% (2-9) from three. Baruch also struggled from the free throw line going 3-for-8 (37.5%).

Brooklyn shot 34.5% (10-29) from the field, including 33.3% (3-9) from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs also made the most of their free throw opportunities, converting on 8-of-10 (80.0%) from the charity stripe.

The tables would turn in the second half, as Baruch came out of the locker room with a hot shooting hand, hitting 52.0% (13-25) from the field, including 57.1% (4-7) from three. The Bearcats also shot well from the line, going 14-for-19 (73.7%) from the stripe.

Brooklyn was held to 22.2% (8-36) shooting in the second half, including 7.7% (1-for-13) from beyond the arc.

Baruch scored the first five points of the second stanza to cut their deficit in half, 31-26, and would eventually tie the game at 35 all on a layup from Iyana Abrams.

After a jumper from senior Justine O'Callahan tied the game for the fifth time in the contest at 39-39 with 10:40 left in the game, the Bearcats took full control and built a double-digit lead outscoring the Bulldogs 26-10 the rest of the way en route to their 65-49 victory.

Francomano finished the game with a team-high 15 points, to go along with four assists and four steals; while Plagainos ended the day with 14 points and six rebounds. Junior Charnelle Saint Laurent added 12 points.

For their efforts, Francomano and Saint Laurent would be named to the 2012 CUNYAC/Con Edison Women's Basketball Championships All-Tournament Team.

Baruch was led by Kiara Johnson's game-high 17 points, as she would be named the Most Valuable Player of the championships. Folashade Akinde had 15 points and nine rebounds, while Jessica Duleba chipped in with 10 points. Akinde and Duleba would also be named to the All-Tournament team.

Sheridan Taylor grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, as the Bearcats out-rebounded the Bulldogs 54-40 for the game.

Brooklyn ends the season with a 21-7 record and will await a possible at-large bid to the 2012 Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Women's Basketball Metro Tournament. The seedings should be announced on Monday, February 27th.