SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team avenged an early-season loss to Le Moyne on Saturday with a convincing 73-55 road victory to claim the solo lead in the Northeast Conference (NEC) standings.
Sajada Bonner led the Pioneers with 18 points this afternoon as she tied a career high with six 3-pointers on 6-for-10 shooting from behind the arc.
Ny'Ceara Pryor wasn't far behind with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Olivia Tucker was SHU's final double-digit scorer with 15 points on 3-for-5 shooting from deep.
Amelia Wood and
Nalyce Dudley also ended the day with stellar stat lines. Wood had eight points, seven rebounds and two steals, while Dudley racked up six points and six boards.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 14-9, 8-1 NEC
Le Moyne: 9-13, 7-2 NEC
Top Performers:
Sajada Bonner: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 6 3-pointers
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals
Olivia Tucker: 15 points, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 3-pointers
How It Happened:
The first quarter belonged to the Pioneers' defense, as SHU held the Dolphins to just six points over 10 minutes. On the other hand, Sacred Heart scored 17 points, ending the quarter on an 8-2 run following a Wood 3-pointer with 12 seconds left. Tucker and Wood led the way for SHU with five points on a triple and two-pointer in the frame.
After opening the second quarter with 11 straight points, which capped an 18-0 run by the Pioneers, Sacred Heart led by 22, 28-6, with 6:58 left in the first half. Bonner was exceptional at the start of the quarter, as she hit three triples over a 1:44 stretch to propel the Pios to the significant advantage.
Sacred Heart continued to pressure over the final 6:58, ending the quarter on a 13-5 surge to take a half-high 27-point halftime lead, 41-14, into the break. For the half, SHU held the Dolphins to .214 shooting (6-for-28) from the floor and 0-for-9 shooting from behind the arc.
After Le Moyne scored the first basket of the third quarter, SHU reeled off 10 straight points to surge ahead by 35, 51-16. Bonner was again at the center of the run with two 3-pointers.
The Pioneers hit a game-high 37-point lead, 57-20, after a Tucker triple at 5:21. The two teams then began to trade baskets until the Dolphins cut the deficit to 31, 62-31, heading to the fourth.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Dolphins, but Sacred Heart's lead was too much to overcome for the home team. By the final whistle, SHU secured an impressive 73-55 road victory to claim the solo lead in the NEC standings at 8-1.
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the court again on Friday, Feb. 9, to battle in-state foe Central Connecticut State at 7 p.m. at the Pitt Center.
