PITTSFORD, N.Y. (February 24, 2018)  – Empire 8 Conference Co-Player of the Year Megan Brown was named Most Valuable Player after leading the Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team back to the NCAA Tournament with a 52-47 victory over St. John Fisher College Saturday to win the program's third E8 championship.

Brown led all players with 17 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth straight double-double and 13th of the season. Over the two-game tournament, the Laurel, Maryland native shot 17-of-33 from the field and a remarkable 14-of-15 from the free throw line. Stevens' victory marked the fifth time in conference history that a team seeded third is crowned league champion.

Eight different players scored for Stevens, who improved to 15-12 on the year. The win extended the Ducks' season-best winning streak to seven games. 

Nicole Robinson and Caroline Robertson each scored 13 to lead St. John Fisher. The Cardinals, who earned the top seed in the conference tournament after posting a 15-1 mark in league play, fell for the third time in the conference championship. At 21-6, the Cardinals must await Monday's selection show to learn if the team will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Turning Point

• A pair of Brown free throws gave Stevens a 50-47 lead with 34 seconds remaining in regulation.
• After a St. John Fisher timeout that advanced the ball to half court, a tightening Stevens defense forced three straight missed field-goal attempts before freshman Christina Li snagged a defensive rebound.
• Li was immediately fouled and calmly sank both free throws.
• After another Fisher timeout, Robertson attempted a quick jumper, but the shot was rejected by Brown to seal the championship.

Inside the Numbers

• Stevens shot a blistering 52 percent (13-for-25) from the field en route to opening a 13-point lead at halftime. For the game, the Ducks shot 21-of-51 (41.2 percent), while holding St. John Fisher to just 27 percent for the game, including just 21 percent in the first half.
• Neither team was especially proficient from behind the arc, with Stevens making 25 percent of its long-range baskets, while the Cardinals shot 5-of-23.
• The Ducks went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. The team made 25 of its 27 free throws over the two-game tournament.
• Stevens held a 41-38 edge on the glass, although St. John Fisher held a 20-12 advantage on the offensive end.
• Freshman Annetta Panayides matched a career-high with three blocks and played outstanding defense down the stretch.
• The Ducks received at least two points from each player.
• St. John Fisher held the edge in points off turnovers, second-chance points, but Stevens held the advantage in points off the bench and points in the paint.
• After the hosts took a one-point lead on the second basket of the game, a Maddi Hahn jumped reclaimed the advantage for Stevens. The Ducks would hold the lead for the remainder of the game, opening up as much as a 15-point lead.
• Freshmen accounted for 24 of the team's 28 points and 15 of the team's 41 rebounds.

From the Court (Coach Haughey)

• "A few weeks ago when Anna Toke went down, we had to redefine ourselves. Meg Brown had to deal with playing the '5' and welcoming height and double teams. We spent two days feeling sorry for ourselves, then, as a team, we decided that we weren't going to make excuses, call ourselves injured or young. We decided we were going to fight, defend and step up. The leadership decided they were going to be vocal and hold each other accountable and leave their passion on the floor. The freshmen had to deal with the pressure of having to perform and the journey this team has gone on has been amazing. Tonight, they earned every second of the joy of that championship. Seven of our 10-person current roster are freshmen and they stepped up. Meg Brown and Syd Darby left their hearts on the floor and Alison Criswell did what she does and played shut-down defense. Anna Toke continued to lead from the bench. It is just an amazing accomplishment for this group of girls."

Up Next

• Stevens will learn its NCAA placement Monday afternoon with the NCAA Division III Selection Show.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
Snapchat: ducks_athletics
#AllRise