Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
9-10,7-3MAAC
Canisius
3-15,1-8MAAC
Four in Double Figures as Pios Open Road Trip with 21 Point Win
1/22/2026 9:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Buffalo, N.Y. – Having led for all but 24 seconds and most of that in double figures, the Sacred Heart women's basketball team opened up its two-game swing near the Canadian border with a 76-55 win over the Canisius Golden Griffins on Thursday night.
Leading four Pioneers in double figures was senior Amelia Wood who finished with 15 points, three assists and a pair of blocks as she matched junior Nalyce Dudley with a team-high three three-pointers. Dudley finished the game with 12 points, shooting 4-of-9 overall including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
First-year Sophie Nascimento followed Wood in leading the offense as she finished with 14 points going an impressive 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 at the free throw line. In addition to her 14 points, Nascimento also finished with seven rebounds and tied her career-high with six assists. Rounding out the leading scorers was sophomore Esther Kursite who finished with 10 points as she finished 4-of-6 from the field. Overall, nine different players contributed on offense.
As a team, Sacred Heart finished the game shooting an even 50 percent from the field, connecting on 27-of-54 field goal attempts with seven of those from outside the three-point arc, the second most in a single game this season. Additionally, the Pios finished 15-of-19 at the free throw line and a 31-30 lead in the rebounding battle with Nascimento and Kursite leading the way with seven apiece.
RECORDS
Sacred Heart: 9-10, 7-3 MAAC
Canisius: 3-15, 1-8 MAAC
TOP PERFORMERS
Amelia Wood: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
Sophie Nascimento: 14 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 5-7 FG, 4-4 FT
Nalyce Dudley: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4-9 FG, 3-5 3ptFG
Esther Kursite: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4-6 FG
FIRST QUARTER NOTES
· Sierra Johnson got the scoring started for the Pioneers as she drove through the hoop for a layup as the shot clock was expiring on the first offensive possession of the game for SHU.
· Dudley and Wood would then both strike from outside the arc, the latter of those sparking a 7-0 rally that resulted in a 12-4 lead.
· In a stretch of more than six-and-a-half minutes without a whistle the Pioneers maintained that advantage and took a 16-8 lead into the first media timeout.
· Coming out of that media timeout, Jordanna Schrecker would start out her evening with a layup for the first double digit lead of the night.
· Schrecker struck again with the final basket of the quarter for either team, hitting from outside the arc to provide a 23-12 cushion at the first intermission.
· As a team, the Pioneers shot 71.4 percent in the first 10 minutes, connecting on 10-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from outside the three-point arc.
SECOND QUARTER NOTES
· With only a pair of free throws prior, Nascimento net the first basket of the quarter for the Pioneers nearly two-and-a-half minutes into the action, extending the lead back to 11.
· Dudley again struck from long range nearly halfway through the frame, putting the SHU lead at 30-18.
· Nascimento completed the Pioneers scoring in the second quarter with a layup followed by a pair of free throws, pushing her over the double figure mark for the fifth time.
· The Pioneers took a 10-point lead into the halftime break, just the third time this season with a double figure lead at the intermission.
THIRD QUARTER NOTES
· Emma Kirby would get things going in the second half with a layup before Dudley again struck from three which provided a 41-27 lead.
· After a layup for the Golden Griffens, the Pioneers began a 7-0 rally that was extended to 10-2 before along the next Canisius field goal. Kursite led the way in that run with six of the 10 points, the other four coming from Wood and Missy Nuku.
· Wood closed out the quarter with the final five Sacred Heart points, the first a three pointer that pushed her into double figures, the second Pioneer to hit that mark.
· Wood added two more on a buzzer beating drive to the hoop with the ball rolling off her fingertips just as time expired, giving the Pioneers a 58-37 lead at the final break.
FOURTH QUARTER NOTES
· Just like a the start of the third, Kirby opened up the fourth quarter battling for another layup underneath.
· Over the next eight minutes the teams would trade baskets until a late rally for the Pioneers extended their lead to its largest of the night of 23, 76-53. All five points in the late rally came from different players with baskets from Kursite and Dianne Crespo Lopez and a free throw from Faith Pappas.
UP NEXT
Sacred Heart will spend the next few days in up-state New York as they face the quick turnaround to take on Niagara on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers are looking for another season sweep against the Purple Eagles after opening up the New Year with an 84-53 win over Niagara on January 1. Tip-off in the MAAC battle is set for 2:00 p.m. with all of the action available live on ESPN+.
