FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team ended the 2024-25 season with a bang, defeating Iona by a 69-57 final score on Saturday afternoon at the Pitt Center on Senior Day. 

As she has done all season, Ny'Ceara Pryor led the way for the Pioneers with 24 points, eight rebounds and three steals. After today, Pryor climbed to third on the SHU all-time scoring leaderboard with 1,790 in her career and is second all-time with 357 steals. 

Emma Kirby had an outstanding performance, tying a season-high with 16 points with seven rebounds and a steal. Amelia Wood tallied her second career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. 

Records: 
Sacred Heart: 9-20, 5-15 MAAC
Iona: 10-20, 8-12 MAAC
 
Leaders: 
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Emma Kirby: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal
Amelia Wood: 14 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal

Of Note: 
SHU got off to a hot start in the first quarter, storming out to a 7-0 lead behind baskets from Pryor, Wood and Kirby. Kirby made it an 11-2 game at 5:48 before Iona started to rally. The Gaels ended the quarter on an 8-4 run to set the score at 15-10. 

The Pioneers opened the second on a 5-1 run to get back to a nine-point advantage, 20-11. The Gaels trimmed the margin to three at one point, but Sacred Heart battled back to take a 32-24 halftime lead. 

The Pios answered an opening basket from Iona with an 8-0 surge to go up 40-26 by 7:40. A 16-3 push by SHU gave them a game-high 27-point advantage, 60-33, with 13 seconds left in the third. The Pioneers won the third 28-11. 

SHU's 62-33 fourth-quarter lead was too much for the Gaels to overcome as the Pioneers went on to secure a 69-57 victory on Senior Day.