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Philly U's Tori Arnao Making The Most Of Final Season

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia University women's basketball team improved to 10-5 on Wednesday night with a 59-41 win over visiting Concordia. The Lady Rams also raised their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference record to a perfect 6-0 with that victory, and that has them alone in first place in the conference's South Division.

One of the big reasons for this success for the Lady Rams is the play of senior forward Tori Arnao. An Archbishop Wood product, Arnao has been a model of consistency this season, averaging a double-double - 14.3 points and 11.7 rebounds a game.

"We've been working really hard this whole season," Arnao tells KYW Newsradio. "I can only speak great things about our team."

Listen to the entire interview with Philadelphia University's Tori Arnao

And her head coach, Tom Shirley, has only great things to say about her.

"She's been player of the week I think almost every week the conference has put a team out," Shirley tells KYW Newsradio. "She's matured emotionally, mentally and physically almost overnight I think and realizes her capability. And I think she's cherishing the fact that her career is ending and I think she wants to make every game her best game as possible."

Listen to the entire interview with Philadelphia University's Tom Shirley

Arnao's success this season has been highlighted by her joining a pretty exclusive club. On December 20th, in a win over Holy Family, she scored her 1,000th career point. Ten days later in a victory over Bloomsburg, during a 17-point, 21-rebound explosion, she pulled down her 1,000th career rebound. She is just the fifth player in program history to join the 1,000/1,000 club.

"It's a great accomplishment," Arnao says. "I can thank my team, my coaches, they have all helped me so much. It's a great milestone for me and to share it with all of them, it's really amazing."

For most basketball players, the 1,000 point milestone is the big one, but for Arnao, reaching 1,000 rebounds was really special.

"That meant a lot to me, because I love rebounding the ball," Arnao says. "That's my thing. When I look back I'll look at that, but right now I'm just focusing on playing the game of basketball and doing it right."

She breaks down what it takes to have success on the glass.

"I think you have to have the mindset, 'I'm going to get this ball every time,' and just track the ball," Arnao says. "I've become good at doing that and a lot of my teammates are getting good at it, too. We all rebound the ball equally. It's just a fun thing to do. I think getting a lot of rebounds is a lot of fun."

The Lady Rams still have a lot of basketball to play this season and Arnao does not hesitate when asked what she still hopes to accomplish before her career is over.

"Goal is definitely to hang a banner and bring a championship back to Philadelphia University," Arnao says. "It's time. It's definitely time."

Philadelphia University returns to the court on Saturday afternoon at home against Felician University.

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