#11 Adelphi Races By Women's Basketball, 93-74, Saturday Afternoon
Links: Box Score
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team was within single digits for the majority of the first half against the 11th-ranked Adelphi University Panthers, but the home team pulled away in the second half, winning by a score of 93-74.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 74 | Adelphi 93
Records: Merrimack (10-6, 6-6 NE-10) | Adelphi (17-2, 10-2 NE-10)
Location: Center for Recreation and Sports | Garden City, N.Y.
How It Happened
Over the first eight minutes of the contest, neither team had more than a one-possession lead. The matchup pitted the top-two scoring teams in the Northeast-10 Conference, and both teams proved that over the first half. The combination of Chloe Rothman (Newton, Mass.) and Stormee Van Belle (Sunnyside, Wash.) combined to score 10 of Merrimack's first 16 points, but it was a three-pointer from sophomore Caitlyn Garger (Hicksville, N.Y.) that tied the game at 16-all with 12 minutes remaining in the opening half.
It took until the 9:46 mark of the first half for either team to grab a lead larger than one possession, as a layup from Samantha Milhaven of the Panthers gave Adelphi a 23-18 lead. Three minutes later the Panthers would build their largest lead at that point at 36-27 with 5:53 to go.
Merrimack would answer with back-to-back three-pointers from Ashley Weissmann (Highland, Calif.) to make it a 36-33 game with 5:08 to go. A Weissmann layup with 3:29 left in the opening stanza made it a 44-38 game, but Adelphi answered with five unanswered points, making it 49-38 with two minutes to go. Adelphi led by that same margin, 52-43, at halftime.
In the second half, Adelphi stormed out to a huge advantage, proving why they are not only one of the best teams in the NE-10, but in the country as well. After two free throws from Aria Johnson (Los Osos, Calif.) made it a 57-46 contest, the Panthers went on a 17-0 run to put the game out of reach. Merrimack did not make a field goal over a span that lasted nearly seven minutes, allowing the Panthers to go on that stretch.
The Navy and Gold did go on a 12-0 run over a span of 4:33 to make it a 76-63 game with 6:19 remaining. Senior forward Melissa Miller (North Andover, Mass.) came off the bench to score four points during that stretch. It was longest period of time during the game that Adelphi did not score. Over the next 2:25, Adelphi scored 10 unanswered to halt any hope of a comeback, taking an 86-63 advantage with less than four minutes to play.
Merrimack would eventually lose 93-74, dropping its conference record to 6-6 in the NE-10.
Inside The Numbers
- Weissmann finished with 12 points against the Panthers, the first time she has scored in double figures since November 25 against Saint Anselm, the first time that has occurred in the last nine games
- Rothman led the team with 16 points. She was one of three players for Merrimack to score at least 10 points, shooting five-of-13 from the field
- Junior guard Tia Scott (New York, N.Y.) scored 13 points and added seven assists to go along with five steals, which ties the career high that she set earlier this season against Saint Rose
- Forwards Amanda Hoover (Columbus, Ohio) and Miller combined for 14 points off the bench, most of which came in the second half. It is the most Hoover has scored in a Merrimack uniform, after arriving on campus as a mid-year transfer. Miller's eight points ties her season high
- Adelphi's Kelly Mannix went off for 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. She also added seven rebounds and five steals, proving why she has been one of the best players in the league this season
Up Next
Merrimack continues on the road Tuesday night when the Warriors travel to New Haven, Conn. to battle Southern Connecticut State at 5:30 p.m.
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