BRONX, N.Y. (Feb. 21, 2026) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's basketball team picked up its 10th straight victory with a 73-59 win over Mount St. Vincent on Saturday afternoon in Skyline Conference action. The Mariners improved to 21-4 overall (18-2 Skyline), while the Dolphins fell to 7-18 (5-15 Skyline).
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Sophomore Carolae Barton (Waldorf, Md.) led the Blue and Gray with her 17th double-double of the season, finishing with a game-high 18 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Emily Grasseler (Millbrook, N.Y.) added 14 points, while senior Hannah Ramsden (Port Aransas, Texas) chipped in with 10 points and dished out a game-best six assists. Freshman Jaden Lodice (Littleton, Colo.) also handed out a career-best six assists in the victory.
Merchant Marine shot 28-of-62 (45.2%) from the field and 10-of-16 (62.5%) from three-point range, while converting 12-of-12 (100%) from the free-throw line. The Mariners held a 40-35 edge on the glass and scored 17 points off of 22 forced turnovers.
USMMA set the tone early, building a quick lead behind baskets from sophomore Breanna Sommers (Casa Grande, Ariz.) at 9:47 and 7:58 and a pair of finishes by Barton at 9:03 and 8:02 to make it 6-2. After the Dolphins trimmed it to 8-5 on a three-pointer at 6:59, Grasseler answered with a paint bucket at 6:17, and Ramsden knocked down a three-pointer at 5:36 to stretch the margin to 13-7. Barton added two free throws at 4:49, and Ramsden pushed the lead to double digits, 17-7, at 3:07 before Mount St. Vincent closed the quarter with a pair of threes. USMMA closed out the first quarter with a 24-16 advantage.
The visitors kept control in the second quarter, opening with a Lodice triple at 9:13 to make it 27-16 and an inside finish from Barton at 7:58 to get the lead to 29-19. Barton followed with another basket at 7:04, and junior Sydney Brown (Northville, Mich.) scored at 6:42 to make it 33-21. Ramsden hit a three at 4:21 to make it 38-23, and Brown answered again from deep at 2:25 to stretch the lead to 43-25 as the Mariners took a 45-25 advantage into halftime.
Mount St. Vincent made its push after the break, using an early spurt to cut into the margin and pull within 45-31 at 8:28. Kings Point steadied with a freshman Tatum Carney (Fairfax, Va.) three-pointer at 6:22, making it 48-31. A Barton finish at 5:14 made it 50-34, and back-to-back Grasseler buckets at 4:26 and 2:32 helped rebuild a 20-point cushion, 54-34. Barton capped the quarter at the line with 29 seconds left, and the Mariners led 56-39 going into the final stanza.
In the fourth quarter, freshman Lilly Smeltzer (Bel Air, Md.) converted two free throws at 8:44, and Natalie Doan (Mount Dora, Fla.) scored at 9:30 and 7:12 to keep the Mariners in front. After Mount St. Vincent trimmed it to 64-53, Sommers drilled a three at 4:28, making it 67-53, and then Grasseler followed with a jumper at 2:51 to stretch the advantage to 69-55. USMMA controlled the game the rest of the way en route to a 73-59 win.
The Mariners have clinched the #2-seed and will receive a bye into the Skyline Championship Semifinals on Thursday, Feb. 26, and will host the winner of the #3 vs. #6 First Round matchup at Liebertz Gymnasium.
More information on the Skyline Tournament, including ticket info, will be available on www.USMMASports.com and our social media site (links below) in the coming days.
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