BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team suffered a 70-64 loss to Vermont on Wednesday afternoon in the team's final road non-conference contest of the 2023-24 season.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was
Ny'Ceara Pryor, who had a game-high 23 points. The outstanding sophomore added four rebounds, three steals and two assists to her stellar stat line.
Amelia Wood was next on the team with 12 points, while
Sajada Bonner and
Nalyce Dudley had 11 each.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 5-8
Vermont: 8-5
Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Amelia Wood: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
Nalyce Dudley: 11 points, 4 rebounds
How It Happened:
Pryor scored the first six points of the game for the Pioneers with three midrange baskets, the second tying the score at 4-4 3:10 into the contest. A 10-0 run by the Catamounts gave the defending American East champs a 14-4 lead before SHU answered with five straight to make it a 14-9 game with three minutes left. The Pios continued to press for the remainder of the quarter, going into the second trailing by three, 18-15.
Both teams spent the second quarter trading buckets. A 9-4 run by the Cats to start the quarter gave the home team an eight-point lead, 27-19, with the Pioneers getting as close as five points for the remainder of the frame. Sacred Heart trailed by five, 33-28, over the final three minutes, until a Vermont bucket with seven seconds remaining halted the scoreless drought and gave the Cats a 35-28 advantage at the break.
The Pioneers started the third on a tear, scoring seven straight after a Vermont bucket to get within two points, 37-35. Pryor tallied four of the seven points at the line, while Bonner capped the run with a 3-pointer from the wing. The teams started to trade baskets again with a 3-1 Catamounts' run, sending Vermont into the fourth up 46-42.
The Cats opened the fourth with five straight points to widen the lead to nine, 51-42, with 8:57 left. The Pioneers were again ready with an answer, stringing together an 8-4 run to cut the deficit to 55-50 with 6:01 remaining.
The Cats rebuilt their advantage to double-figures, 65-55, which preceded one last SHU rally attempt. The Pioneers put together a 4-0 run over the next 1:20, starting with a split at the line by Dudley. Pryor then scored the following three points on a free throw and a layup to draw the margin to six, 65-59, with 1:11 on the clock. Unfortunately for Sacred Heart, Vermont's Andjela Matic halted the comeback by spoiling an outstanding defensive possession with a dagger three from the corner. The Pios scored five of the game's final seven points but had to settle for a 70-64 loss on the road.
Pryor's game-high 23 points today marked her fifth game with 20+ this season. Wood finished with her fifth double-digit outing as a sophomore, while Dudley is up to six. With 11 today, Bonner is at 993 points for her career, setting her just seven shy before plays its next two games at home at the Pitt Center.
Up Next:
The Pioneers are off until New Year's Eve when they return home to the Pitt Center for a 1 p.m. tilt against Mercy.
