ST. DAVID'S, PA – The York College women's basketball team got off to a very fast start and cruised from there as they went on the road and downed Eastern 65-42 in MAC Commonwealth play on Saturday in St. David's, PA.
The Spartans ripped off a 21-5 bulge in the first quarter and then closed out the game with a 17-8 fourth quarter advantage to earn the 23-point win.
York improves to 8-4 overall and 2-0 in the Commonwealth while Eastern falls to 5-7 overall and 1-1 in the league.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans could not have gotten off to a better start as they scored the first 11 points of the game. Five different Spartans scored during the game-opening run as York was 4-for-5 from the floor including one three and a pair of free throws. After the Eagles got one bucket and a free throw, York scored the next eight points of the game to go up 19-3. Taylor Burda had a pair of threes sandwiching a Breana Grim lay-up for the 16-point lead. The teams traded baskets as the Spartans took a 21-5 lead after one quarter of play.
• The second quarter was closer as York was able to hold a 15-14 advantage in the quarter. The Spartan lead grew to as many as 19 (28-9) before settling for the 17-point margin (36-19) at the end of the quarter.
• The Eagles opened the third quarter with a 13-6 run as they sliced the Spartan lead 44-32 with 1:35 remaining in the quarter. York finished up the quarter by scoring four of the final seven points of the period to take a 48-34 lead to the final ten minutes of play.
• Burda opened the final quarter with back-to-back threes to push the lead to 20 at 54-34. The Eagles would not get closer than 18 the rest of the way before York settled for a 23-point win.
 
By The Numbers
The Spartans finished the game shooting 41.9% from the floor, 38.9% (7-for-18) from three and 85.7% (6-for-7) from the free throw line … Eastern shot 28.1% from the floor, 15.4% (2-for-13) from three and 44.4% (8-for-18) from the stripe … York held a 48-33 bulge in rebounding which led to a 10-6 advantage in second chance points … York committed 21 turnovers and forced 19 from the Eagles … York converted the 19 Eagle miscues into 22 points … York had an 11-3 margin in fast break points … the Spartans outscored the Eagles 36-22 in paint points … York never trailed in the game and had a lead for all but 16 seconds of the game.
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans are now 7-1 all-time against Eastern and 5-0 as conference opponents … York has won five of their last six games and seven of their last nine contests … York improves to 7-0 when winning the battle of the boards … the Spartans recorded their fifth win by double figures and their third win by 20 or more points … the Spartans held Eastern to 28.1% shooting and that's the fifth opponent York has held below 30% shooting in a game and they are 5-0 in those games … York has held their last three opponents to just 30.6% (59-for-193) from the field and 23.8% (16-for-67) from three … York has a plus-30 rebounding margin in their first two MAC Commonwealth contests … York made it four straight games with 20-plus turnovers as but are 3-1 in those games … York blocked six more shots in the win … York had 12 steals as they now have double figures in thefts in seven games this year … Taylor Burda led the way for the second straight game as she poured in 17 points with six rebounds, two steals and an assist in 33 minutes of play … Burda was 5-for-9 from three as she matched a career-high for three-pointers made, a mark she set Wednesday night against Alvernia … Breana Grim added 16 points, five rebounds, five steals, two assists and a blocked shot in her 34 minutes of play … the five steals ties a career-high for Grim, a mark she first set at McDaniel on November 15 … Makenna Zimmerman pulled in 11 rebounds in addition to her eight points, two assists and a blocked shot … Brooklyn Naylor continues on her blocked shot binge as she recorded four more against the Eagles in addition to six points and two rebounds … freshman Mackenzie Brezovec pulled in a career-high five rebounds while she also set new career standards in assists (2) and steals (3) … York is now 5-2 on the road this year.
 
Up Next
York continues their four-game road trip on Wednesday evening as they head to Owings Mills, Maryland to face the Stevenson University Mustangs in a MAC Commonwealth contest. Tip time is set for 7:00 pm.