Links: Box Score
Postgame Reaction: Denia Davis-Stewart
NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. – Senior forward
Denia Davis-Stewart finished her 2019 on a high note scoring 21 points and pulling in 22 rebounds in the Merrimack College women's basketball win over the University of Vermont Sunday night. The 20-20 game is the first of the season for Davis-Stewart and second of her career. Junior
Alyssa Casey continued to stay hot scoring 15 points after going 5-9 from long range. Freshman
Alana Fursman helped the Warriors with a career-high 12 points on the night.
With the win the Warriors finish non-conference play with a 7-4 record in their first Division I season. Merrimack sits atop the Northeast Conference (NEC) heading into league play. The Warriors will look to be the second Merrimack team to win the regular season conference title, the first being men's soccer who captured the NEC title in the fall.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 78 , Vermont 53
Records: Merrimack (7-4) |Vermont (6-7)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- Vermont opened up the game on a 5-0 run highlighted by a three by Emma Utterback. The Warriors came storming back going on a 10-0 run of their own. Sophomore Kate Mager led the way with five points during the run. The Warriors ended the quarter up two points after back-to-back buckets off of turnovers for Vermont.
- In the second quarter, Fursman went on a 10-0 run by herself. She knocked down two threes during the span to put the Warriors up 14 with just over four minutes to play in the quarter. Merrimack won the quarter by the score of 23-9 and never looked back after halftime.
- The Warriors started off the second half with a Casey three ball that set the tone for the quarter. A minute later Davis-Stewart and Casey swapped threes on back-to-back possessions, giving Merrimack a 23 point lead. Freshman Diamond Christian scored a fast break layup to give the Warriors a 24 point lead with just over two minutes left in the quarter. Vermont cut the lead to 17 after an Utterback three ended the half.
- The fourth quarter was more of the same for the Warriors. Casey and Mager found the bottom of the net on two straight possessions early in the quarter. Davis-Stewart knocked down a jumper to give Merrimack a 26 point lead, which would end of being the biggest of the game.
Notes and Numbers
- Davis-Stewart is the first Merrimack College player to have a Division I 20-20 game.
- Freshman Jayme DeCesare continues to have a great season running the point for Merrimack. Tonight she had five assists to only one turnover.
- Senior Emily Houle started for the first time in her Merrimack career.
- The Warriors received 19 points from their bench
Up Next
The Warriors start Northeast Conference play on Thursday, January 2
nd when they travel to Sacred Heart to take on the Pioneers. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.
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