Career Day From DeCesare Helps Women’s Basketball Sail Past Saint Francis

NOTH ANOVER, MASS. – Senior guard Jayme DeCesare scored a career-high 28 points in the Merrimack College victory over Saint Francis (PA) on Saturday afternoon. The win was the Warriors fourth in a row. DeCesare knocked down nine shots from the field, including six from long range. She also had four assists. Kaylee Thomas and Marissa Hamilton both added 14 points in the win. Amaya Staton scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds.
 
The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 80, Saint Francis (PA) 62
Records: Merrimack (9-14, 7-5 NEC) | Saint Francis (PA) (5-19, 4-8 NEC)
Location: Hammel Court
 
Rapid Recap

• The game got off to a furious pace with both teams scoring eight points in the first three minutes. DeCesare hit a three with four minutes to play to put Merrimack up by three. The Red Flash responded with a bucket to cut it to one. The Warriors then went on a six-point run to go up seven. Saint Francis hit a three before the end of the first to head into the second down four. Ava Owens got the scoring going for Merrimack in the second quarter with a layup. The Red Flash hit a three to make it a one possession game. Merrimack added three point to go up six. After a Saint Francis score, the Warriors went on a seven-point run to increase the lead to 11. After a free throw Merrimack would head into halftime up by 10.
• Both teams started the second half going back and forth. The lead was still 10 three minutes into the third quarter. Thomas stole the ball and scored on a fast break layup to put the Warriors up 12. A DeCesare three with three and a half minutes left gave Merrimack its biggest lead of the game at 16. Thomas converted a three-point play a minute later to swell the lead up to 19. DeCesare knocked down a three as time expired in the third to put the Warriors up 20 heading into the fourth quarter. Owens scored on a layup three minutes into the fourth quarter to make the lead 24. DeCesare found the bottom of the net with a three less than a minute later to make it 27. The Red Flash would get the lead to as low as 17 points, but it was not enough to beat Merrimack on Saturday.

 Notes and Numbers

• Thomas now has at least 10 points in her last seven games.
• The Warriors scored 32 points in the paint.
• Owens added eight points off the bench for Merrimack.

 Up Next
The Warriors get back to action on Monday night against Fisher College. Game time is set for 7 p.m.