Thursday, January 9
North Andover, Mass.
7:00 PM
Sacred Heart
5-8,1-3MAAC
53
at
64
Merrimack
7-6,3-1MAAC
1st quarter1
2nd quarter2
3rd quarter3
4th quarter4
FinalF
Sacred Heart
15
11
16
11
53
Merrimack
14
10
19
21
64
Photo by: Greg Vasil
Women's Basketball Stumbles at Merrimack
1/9/2025 10:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Pryor posted her second double-double of the season on 18 points and 10 boards
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team could not overcome a strong fourth quarter at Merrimack on Thursday evening, as the Warriors earned a 64-53 win in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play in North Andover, Mass.
Ny'Ceara Pryor led the way for the Pioneers with her second double-double of the season on 18 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. She also tallied four assists and four steals.
Emma Kirby and Amelia Wood also crossed double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Kirby almost finished with a double-double with eight boards.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 5-8, 1-3 MAAC
Merrimack: 7-6, 3-1 MAAC
Leaders:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals
Emma Kirby: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Amelia Wood: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Of Note:
The Pioneers and Warriors traded buckets at the start of tonight's game, with SHU holding a 7-4 advantage over the first 3:23. Kirby opened the SHU's scoring with five straight, three coming from an old-fashioned three-point play. Merrimack fought back to take a 14-12 lead before a Pryor and one gave the visitors a 15-14 advantage through 10 minutes.
The second quarter was another hard-fought battle, with the lead switching hands after each of the first five baskets. With the Warriors up four, 24-20, at the 3:57 mark, the Pioneers' defense locked in and held them scoreless for the remainder of the frame. On the other hand, Sacred Heart scored six points to take a 26-24 lead into halftime.
Merrimack burst out of the gates in the second half, opening the quarter on a 10-0 run to prompt a SHU timeout. The Pioneers were ready with an answer, stringing together a 16-7 spurt over 4:50 of game time to take a 42-41 advantage. Wood led the way for Sacred Heart with six points in the run, while Pryor added five. Unfortunately for SHU, the Warriors hit a pair of free throws with one second left to take a 43-42 lead.
MC got off to another good start in the fourth quarter, widening its advantage to six, 49-43, by scoring six of the first seven points. SHU got as close as three, 51-48, for the rest of the game following a corner three from Carmen Williams with 4:03 left. Unfortunately for the Pios, Merrimack made their late free throws, while SHU missed a few from the line, which halted a chance at a comeback for the visitors. A pair of free throws from Mia Fiore with 11 seconds remaining iced the final score at 64-53 Merrimack.
Up Next:
The Pioneers return to the Pitt Center for the first time in 2025 on Saturday, Jan. 11, to play Mount St. Mary's (Md.) at noon.
Ny'Ceara Pryor led the way for the Pioneers with her second double-double of the season on 18 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. She also tallied four assists and four steals.
Emma Kirby and Amelia Wood also crossed double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Kirby almost finished with a double-double with eight boards.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 5-8, 1-3 MAAC
Merrimack: 7-6, 3-1 MAAC
Leaders:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals
Emma Kirby: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Amelia Wood: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Of Note:
The Pioneers and Warriors traded buckets at the start of tonight's game, with SHU holding a 7-4 advantage over the first 3:23. Kirby opened the SHU's scoring with five straight, three coming from an old-fashioned three-point play. Merrimack fought back to take a 14-12 lead before a Pryor and one gave the visitors a 15-14 advantage through 10 minutes.
The second quarter was another hard-fought battle, with the lead switching hands after each of the first five baskets. With the Warriors up four, 24-20, at the 3:57 mark, the Pioneers' defense locked in and held them scoreless for the remainder of the frame. On the other hand, Sacred Heart scored six points to take a 26-24 lead into halftime.
Merrimack burst out of the gates in the second half, opening the quarter on a 10-0 run to prompt a SHU timeout. The Pioneers were ready with an answer, stringing together a 16-7 spurt over 4:50 of game time to take a 42-41 advantage. Wood led the way for Sacred Heart with six points in the run, while Pryor added five. Unfortunately for SHU, the Warriors hit a pair of free throws with one second left to take a 43-42 lead.
MC got off to another good start in the fourth quarter, widening its advantage to six, 49-43, by scoring six of the first seven points. SHU got as close as three, 51-48, for the rest of the game following a corner three from Carmen Williams with 4:03 left. Unfortunately for the Pios, Merrimack made their late free throws, while SHU missed a few from the line, which halted a chance at a comeback for the visitors. A pair of free throws from Mia Fiore with 11 seconds remaining iced the final score at 64-53 Merrimack.
Up Next:
The Pioneers return to the Pitt Center for the first time in 2025 on Saturday, Jan. 11, to play Mount St. Mary's (Md.) at noon.
Team Stats
SH
Merri
FG%
.316
.373
3FG%
.176
.278
FT%
.583
.714
RB
41
40
TO
18
17
STL
9
7
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's BasketballG
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