HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Merrimack College Women's basketball team scratched and clawed their way to a 47-47 tie in the fourth quarter of Thursday evening's matchup against Fairleigh Dickinson University. The Warriors went on a 13-0 run to draw even with the Knights before FDU eventually ran away with this one winning by a score of 55-49.
The Warriors were led tonight by senior guard,
Kate Mager, who finished this one with 10 points, three assists, and three rebounds. The New City, N.Y. native made history in this contest as well as with just under eight minutes to go she let a three go that was pure. This put Mager over the 1000 career point mark making her the 24
th all time Merrimack College women's basketball player to reach the impressive milestone. Mager becomes the second player this season to pass 1000 points as graduate student,
Mayson Kimball, surpassed the number against Central Connecticut University on January 8
th, 2022.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 49, Fairleigh Dickinson University 55
Records: Merrimack (8-14, 6-8 NEC) Fairleigh Dickinson University (15-9, 12-2 NEC)
Location: Hackensack, N.J.
Rapid Recap
- The first quarter wasn't the best for either side as there was only 19 total points scored by both sides. After the Knights got out to an early 5-0 lead, sophomore, Teneisia Brown, made a textbook move on the offensive glass laying one up and in after a great pass from Kimball. Then after another run by FDU, senior, Carla Balague, took over the game as she scored four straight points. The Barcelona, Spain native took an isolation play and played it to her advantage, knifing to the net and then scoring. In the next possession, Mager delivered a fantastic pass which opened up Balague's lane to the basket where she then got two more Warrior points.
- The second frame started off just the way the Warriors wanted as graduate student, Paige McCormick, got an open look at the bucket and she drove and scored to open the quarter for Merrimack. On the following offensive possession Kimball picked up an offensive rebound after a missed shot and then the ball found its way to freshman, Ava Owens, who got the shot to fall giving the Warriors their first lead of the game. After some back-and-forth play, the Warriors looked to get some of the momentum back and they did exactly that with a big shot from junior, Jayme DeCesare. The Johnston, R.I. native got the ball after pushing the pace up the floor and pulled up from beyond the arch getting the triple to fall snagging the lead back for Merrimack. The Knights controlled play down the stretch in the first half as they took a five-point lead going into the locker room.
- After regrouping in the locker room, the Warriors and Knights came out in the third quarter looking to run away with this one. Unfortunately for Merrimack, FDU came out ready to play out scoring the Warriors 16-11 while shooting 40%. In this frame though history was made by Mager as the senior cemented herself as one of the best overall scorers in Merrimack College history with a three to tease things back the Warriors way. After the Mager three, both sides really struggled finding points to fall as it was almost a full two minutes before a point of any kind was recorded. Down the stretch in the third, the Warriors got the Knights into foul trouble and went to the line plenty to bring this one to within ten points setting up a big final ten minutes.
- The fourth quarter was one that kept Warrior fans on the edge of their seat from start to finish as Merrimack tried climbing back into this one. The first possession saw a DeCesare go up strong against her defender and spin a shot up and in to start the comeback train. A few minutes later DeCesare slipped a pass to McCormick who pulled up with a mid-range jumper which was pure to draw Merrimack closer. That same combo connected again on the following possession for the Warriors as McCormick put up two more. Kimball then saw her classmate hitting a couple of buckets and decided she wanted to get in on the fun as she hit a lay up of her own to draw within seven points. The Webster N.H. native then hit a big jumper, a big free throw and then drew a turnover to have the momentum on the Warriors side. After the FDU turnover, DeCesare surveyed the floor looking to make a play, and that's exactly what she did. The pass first guard, for once had no pass to make so she chucked up a three that found nothing but the bottom of the net to bring Merrimack within one point of the Knights. Unfortunately, the comeback fell just short in the end as Fairleigh Dickinson won this one 55-49.
Up Next
After a short rest, the Warriors head back on the road as they travel to Fairfield, Conn. to take on the Sacred Heart University Pioneers this Saturday at 2:00 PM.
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