NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Merrimack College Women's basketball team competed from start to finish in their matchup against Central Connecticut State University on Friday evening. In a matchup where it seemed like every shot had an answer, the Blue Devils eventually came away with this one by a score of 75-64.
The Warriors were led tonight by senior guard,
Kate Mager, who finished the game with a team high 12 points while shooting 4-10 from the field. Fellow senior,
Carla Balague, finished right behind Mager with 11 points and five rebounds. Merrimack had three players who were very close to achieving triple doubles as graduate student,
Paige McCormick, finished this one with seven points and seven rebounds. Junior,
Jayme DeCesare, had another complete performance as she capped off this one with nine points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Sophomore,
Teneisia Brown, returned to form as she collected eight points and nine rebounds to round off the top performers for Merrimack.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 66, Central Connecticut State University 75
Records: Merrimack (8-13, 6-7 NEC) | Central Connecticut State University (4-16, 2-9 NEC)
Location: New Britain, Conn.
Rapid Recap
- The first quarter was a bit of a feeling out process as the Warriors and Blue Devils both took some time to get their offenses going. That all changed when McCormick drove to the lane and then pulled up in front of her defender for to get the ball rolling for Merrimack. A few minutes later McCormick got on the board again after a great pass from Kimball and the Heuvelton, N.Y. native finished the lay in off the glass to give Merrimack the early lead. As time ticked down in the opening frame, Balague came into the game and made an immediate impact making a layup that was answered by a CCSU layup and then the Barcelona, Spain native nailed a three to extend the Warrior lead.
- Both defenses came out to play in the second quarter as in the first four minutes of the quarter there was no Warrior points scored. That all changed when McCormick got Merrimack shot a mid-range jumper that was pure to get the momentum going for the Warriors. On the following possession, McCormick collected a defensive rebound and sent a long-range pass to DeCesare who then sent another long pass to Mager who had nothing but time to bury the three to get the Warrior lead back. The remainder of the quarter, Merrimack just couldn't seem to get their offense going as the Blue Devils took the lead into the locker room by a score of 41-34.
- After regrouping in the locker room, The Warriors got right to work and it all started with solid defense. CCSU took the ball up and Mager caught them sleeping with a steal. Merrimack then turned it up offensively and after a lengthy offensive possession, graduate student, Mayson Kimball, hit nothing but the bottom of the net from beyond the arch. As time went on in the third, both teams were still trying to get their offenses going and Merrimack got a boost from DeCesare. The Warriors got three back-to-back-back offensive rebounds to maintain possession before the ball found its way to the Johnston R.I. native whose shot was pure from three-point land. She followed that up with a key stop on the defensive side and then the junior hit another three to bring Merrimack to within one with a couple minutes to go in the quarter.
- In the fourth quarter the Warriors scratched and clawed their way back into the game with some big shots from Mager and Brown, but in the end the Blue Devils just seemed to always have an answer to whatever a Merrimack through their way as they capped off this matchup with the win.
Up Next
Merrimack will once again hit the road next week when they travel to take on Fairleigh Dickinson next Thursday at 7:00 PM.
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