Niagara Falls, N.Y. – Before driving back to what's expected to be a big storm in Fairfield, the Sacred Heart women's basketball team had to weather a storm against the Niagara Purple Eagles, securing their third-straight win, 70-65 over the MAAC foe.

Leading the Pioneers on the day was junior Nalyce Dudley who extended her career-high for the third time this season, finishing with 22 points, her fifth game hitting the 20+ plateau. For the game, Dudley connected on 9-of-17 field goal attempts and was 4-of-6 at the free throw line. Additionally, she hauled in four rebounds and picked off three steals.

Joining Dudley in leading the Pioneers was senior Amelia Wood who finished with 17 points, her 15th straight game hitting double figures. The majority of Wood's points came at the free throw line where she finished 10-of-12. Wood also hauled in a team-high 13 rebounds to complete her fifth double double of the season, with her 13 rebounds part of 34 total as the Pioneers finished with a 34-32 advantage on the boards.  

As a team, Sacred Heart finished the game shooting 21-of-50 from the field for 42.0 percent, with just two of the 21 field goals from outside of the three-point arc. In addition, the Pioneers converted 26-of-36 free throw attempts.

RECORDS
Sacred Heart: 10-10, 8-3 MAAC
Niagara: 0-19, 0-10 MAAC

TOP PERFORMERS
Nalyce Dudley: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 9-17 FG
Amelia Wood: 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 10-12 FT
Sophie Nascimento: 9 points, 3 steals
Emma Kirby: 9 points, 3 rebounds
Esther Kursite: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

FIRST QUARTER NOTES

·       In what was a slow start for the Pioneers, four different players accounted for the first 10 points including three each from Nascimento and Wood. Nascimento's came on an and-one on a free throw line jumper while Wood connected from outside the arc for the first three of the day for the Pios.

·       Sacred Heart would continue to spread the wealth with Missy Nuku getting in on the action with a layup as the first basket out of the media timeout.

·       With a basket just ahead of the media timeout, the Pioneers defense held Niagara without a basket for the final four-and-a-half minutes. As the Purple Eagles went scoreless over that stretch, Sacred Heart rattled off the final seven points of the quarter for a 19-11 lead at the break.

·       Wood led the way with six points, while Nascimento added five and Kirby a pair of baskets for four.

SECOND QUARTER NOTES

·       Niagara broke up its scoring drought 47 seconds into the second quarter for the first points in the frame.

·       After trading points for much of the quarter it wasn't until the final two minutes that Sacred Heart was able to put up back-to-back scoring plays, the first on a second two-for-two trip to the line for Esther Kursite and the second a layup from Dudley as she drove the baseline for the basket.

·       Kursite's late flurry at the free throw line gave her six points which matched both Wood and Nascimento, while the late layup from Dudley gave her a team-high nine at the halftime intermission.

·       The Pioneers closed out the first half shooting 52.6 percent, connecting on 10-of-19 while adding 12 points at the free throw line.

THIRD QUARTER NOTES

·       After splitting the first six points of the quarter, Wood scored a layup at the 7:02 mark that provided a 10-point margin.

·       Niagara wouldn't surrender, picking up its intensity and rattling off eight straight to cut the Pioneers lead to a single possession.  

·       Sacred Heart would weather that storm and answer with a free throw from Nascimento and a three pointer from Nuku just in front of her own bench that put the lead back to six.

·       After Niagara matched with a three pointer of their own, Dudley battled underneath for a hoop and free throw to complete a three-point play and push her into double figures.

·       The Purple Eagles would then net back-to-back baskets before SHU rebounded to score twice in the final 34 seconds, the first from Kursite before Dudley accepted a full court pass to score at the buzzer for a 49-43 lead at the final intermission.

FOURTH QUARTER NOTES

·       Niagara opened up the fourth quarter with a layup before the Pioneers responded by scoring eight of the next 11, regaining a nine-point lead, 57-48. Dudley provided six of the eight, including back-to-back to close out the rally and securing her fifth 20 point game.

·       The Purple Eagles continued to fight, keeping it a three-possession game throughout.

·       Just inside of the 90 second mark, Dudley connected again under the hoop to provide her third career high of the season with 22 points.

·       Niagara responded to what was a seven-point deficit at the time be scoring five straight and forcing a SHU timeout to advance the ball with 25.2 seconds remaining.

·       Wood would answer the call at the line, making 5-of-6, with a Purple Eagles three pointer in the middle that made it a one-possession game.

·       After going 1-of-2 at the line, Wood answered big defensively with a block on a handoff three-point attempt and then converted a pair at the line to push the Pioneers lead to 68-63.

·       After a drive to the hoop for two for Niagara, Nascimento closed out the day converting two at the line with 1.2 seconds remaining, not enough time for the Purple Eagles to erase what was a five-point deficit.  

UP NEXT
Sacred Heart will return home for back-to-back home games beginning with the first and only meeting this season against the Manhattan Jaspers on Thursday, January 29. With it being the only game between the two teams in the regular season, the result could prove heavy for either team with the potential for tie breakers that could determine seeding in the MAAC Championship. Tip-off in the MAAC battle is set for 7:00 p.m. with all of the action available live on ESPN+.