Links: Box Score
Video: Highlights
GARDEN CITY, N.Y – The Merrimack College women's basketball program saw five players score in double figures, held host Adelphi University to under 40 percent shooting for the game and limited the Panthers to 6-of-22 shooting from distance in an 84-71 Northeast-10 Conference victory on Tuesday night from Long Island. The triumph gave head coach
Monique LeBlanc her 100
th career victory, becoming just the third coach in program history to reach the century mark.
Junior
Denia Davis-Stewart led the way with a career-high 28 points to go along with 16 rebounds. The starting center posted her fifth double-double over her last eight games. Senior
Karlee Alves facilitated the offense with 12 assists, and freshman
Kate Mager scored all 11 of her points in the second half, hitting three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to ice the game away for Merrimack.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 84, Adelphi 71
Records: Merrimack (11-6, 4-6 NE10) | Adelphi (8-8, 5-4 NE10)
Location: Center for Recreation & Sport | Garden City, N.Y.
Rapid Recap
- Adelphi held a slim 13-12 lead with 3:27 left in the opening quarter, but Merrimack closed the frame on a 10-4 run. The Warriors did not trail over the remainder of the contest. Davis-Stewart hit a jumper to put the visitors ahead, 14-13, while sophomore Mayson Kimball sank consecutive treys that highlight the run
- Merrimack's lead dwindled down to one, 26-25, 2:59 into the second quarter. The Warriors answered with an 8-0 eight that featured seven straight points from senior captains Lindsay Werner and Alves. Later in the quarter, Alves hit a layup with one minute until half that brought the Warriors' lead to double figures for the first time (40-29)
- Adelphi hit a late bucket that brought Merrimack's lead to nine at the half, and scored the first two points of the third quarter. Sophomore Alyssa Casey and Werner swiftly answered with consecutive jumpers to make it a 45-33 game just 90 seconds into the third
- The duo Kimball and Davis-Stewart united to lead Merrimack the rest of the third. The combination scored the Warriors' final 15 points of the quarter, preventing the Panthers from coming closer than six points the entire quarter. Davis-Stewart converted a layup with 13 seconds on the clock, giving Merrimack a 60-52 advantage through three
- Mager came on in the fourth to serve as the Warriors' closer. With Adelphi within seven, 67-60, the rookie followed up a Davis-Stewart basket with her second triple of the quarter to bring the visitors' lead up to 12, 72-60, with five minutes left. Mager's final trey connected with 3:51 remaining, and the Warriors' lead never dipped below nine the remainder of the game
Notes and Numbers
- LeBlanc joined the duo of Debbie Cogan (1986-1999) and Ann McInerney (1999-2005) as the only coaches to reach 100 career wins at Merrimack. Since LeBlanc's second season, the Warriors have won at least 12 games in every year – the longest such run in school history
- Merrimack's win Tuesday was also just its second ever at Adelphi, and first since 1999. The Warriors avenged last season's postseason defeat in Garden City to the Panthers
- Davis-Stewart's career best in scoring featured a career-high 12 field goals, as well. The Dorchester, Mass. increased her team lead in double-doubles to seven with the effort
- Alves – the nation's leader in assists – posted her seventh game with at least 10 helpers
- Kimball (15), Werner (14), Mager (11) and Casey (10) all joined Davis-Stewart in double figures. Exactly half of Merrimack's scoring (42) came in the paint, outscoring Adelphi by 20 inside
- Defensively, the Warriors held Adelphi to 1-of-9 shooting from distance in the opening half, and 27.3 percent for the game (6-22). Merrimack also cleaned up the defensive glass, claiming 30 caroms on the night
Up Next
Merrimack faces Southwest Division leading Le Moyne on Saturday (1 p.m.), inviting the red-hot Dolphins – winners of eight straight to start the week – to Hammel Court.
