Saturday, January 6
Fairfield, Conn.
2:00 PM
Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
7-8,1-0NEC
65
vs
51
Merrimack College
3-11,0-1NEC
1
2
3
4
F
Merrimack
4
19
18
10
51
Sacred Heart
18
12
22
13
65
Photo by: Greg Vasil
Women's Basketball Opens NEC Play with 65-51 Win over Merrimack
1/6/2024 5:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Pioneers' defense forced a season-high 32 turnovers
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team started its Northeast Conference (NEC) title defense on the right foot Saturday, handing Merrimack a 65-51 loss at the William H Pitt Center in the two teams' league opener.
Ny'Ceara Pryor led all scorers with 20 points, her sixth 20-point outing of the season. Sierra Johnson was next on the team with 15 points, while Nalyce Dudley came close to posting a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 7-8, 1-0 NEC
Merrimack: 3-11, 0-1 NEC
Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 20 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Sierra Johnson: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steal
Nalyce Dudley: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
How It Happened:
The Pioneers opened this afternoon's game with suffocating defense, holding the Warriors scoreless over the first 7:54. In that time, SHU built a 14-0 lead, getting seven points from Johnson and five from Pryor. Sacred Heart held Merrimack to just four points in the opening stanza, taking an 18-4 lead into the second.
Merrimack began to get its footing in the second quarter, cutting the margin to nine, 22-13, 2:51 into the frame. SHU answered by going on a 4-0 run before the Warriors responded with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the margin to 26-19 with 5:33 left. Both defenses took over from there, as the deficit stayed at seven, 30-23, heading into the halftime break.
Coming out of the break, the Pioneers quickly rebuilt their double-digit advantage, leading by 13, 43-30, 5:13 into the third following a 7-0 run. Pryor followed a Sajada Bonner triple with two consecutive layups to spark the surge. The Pios led by as much as 14 in the frame, 52-38, but a triple by Merrimack's Jayme DeCesare with 22 seconds left in the frame sent SHU into the fourth up 52-41.
The Pioneers held onto their double-digit advantage for the remainder of the contest, keeping the Warriors out of reach in the fourth. An Olivia Tucker dagger 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining sealed the NEC-opening win for SHU.
Sacred Heart's defensive effort was key to its win this afternoon. The Pioneers forced a season-best 32 turnovers against the Warriors, the first time SHU has forced 30+ turnovers since Feb. 9 of last season against Saint Francis. In total, seven Pioneers tallied multiple steals, led by Amelia Wood with a career-best tying four.
Up Next:
Sacred Heart will be right back in action on Monday, Jan. 8, with a 7 p.m. road tilt at Saint Francis in Loretto, Pa.
Ny'Ceara Pryor led all scorers with 20 points, her sixth 20-point outing of the season. Sierra Johnson was next on the team with 15 points, while Nalyce Dudley came close to posting a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 7-8, 1-0 NEC
Merrimack: 3-11, 0-1 NEC
Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 20 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Sierra Johnson: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steal
Nalyce Dudley: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
How It Happened:
The Pioneers opened this afternoon's game with suffocating defense, holding the Warriors scoreless over the first 7:54. In that time, SHU built a 14-0 lead, getting seven points from Johnson and five from Pryor. Sacred Heart held Merrimack to just four points in the opening stanza, taking an 18-4 lead into the second.
Merrimack began to get its footing in the second quarter, cutting the margin to nine, 22-13, 2:51 into the frame. SHU answered by going on a 4-0 run before the Warriors responded with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the margin to 26-19 with 5:33 left. Both defenses took over from there, as the deficit stayed at seven, 30-23, heading into the halftime break.
Coming out of the break, the Pioneers quickly rebuilt their double-digit advantage, leading by 13, 43-30, 5:13 into the third following a 7-0 run. Pryor followed a Sajada Bonner triple with two consecutive layups to spark the surge. The Pios led by as much as 14 in the frame, 52-38, but a triple by Merrimack's Jayme DeCesare with 22 seconds left in the frame sent SHU into the fourth up 52-41.
The Pioneers held onto their double-digit advantage for the remainder of the contest, keeping the Warriors out of reach in the fourth. An Olivia Tucker dagger 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining sealed the NEC-opening win for SHU.
Sacred Heart's defensive effort was key to its win this afternoon. The Pioneers forced a season-best 32 turnovers against the Warriors, the first time SHU has forced 30+ turnovers since Feb. 9 of last season against Saint Francis. In total, seven Pioneers tallied multiple steals, led by Amelia Wood with a career-best tying four.
Up Next:
Sacred Heart will be right back in action on Monday, Jan. 8, with a 7 p.m. road tilt at Saint Francis in Loretto, Pa.
Team Stats
Merri
SH
FG%
.380
.379
3FG%
.278
.250
FT%
.800
.556
RB
43
33
TO
32
11
STL
4
19
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
15
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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