FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Owls, Warriors Advance to Sunday's Quarterfinal Round
Two lower seeds advanced during the opening night of the 2017 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball Championship. Here's how it happened:
#5 NE Merrimack 63, #4 SW Pace 51 | BOXSCORE
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Sophomore Lexi Martin recorded 18 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while freshman Denia Davis-Stewart picked up her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds as Merrimack downed Pace, 63-51, in the opening round of the NE10 Championship on Friday night in Pleasantville, N.Y.
With the win, the Warriors advanced to the quarterfinals where they will meet top-seeded Bentley University at 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Merrimack outscored the Setters by 12 points, 21-9, in the third quarter to turn a one-point halftime lead into a 53-40 advantage after 30 minutes. With the score at 36-33 at the 8:45 mark, the Warriors used a 9-2 run to take a 10-point lead, 45-35, and never looked back.
#5 SW Southern Connecticut 62, #4 NE Stonehill 60 | BOXSCORE
NORTH EASTON, Mass. - Led by senior Taylor McLaughlin, who led all players in scoring, Southern Connecticut State claimed a 62-60 victory over Stonehill in the First Round of the NE10 Championship.
McLaughlin led all players in scoring with 27 points and five rebounds. Junior Chandler Williams recorded 10 points and three rebounds to help the Owls' effort.
The Owls jumped out to a quick five-point lead in the first two minutes and continued their dominance throughout the first quarter for a 20-12 lead after 10 minutes. So. Connecticut extended its lead further in the second frame with sharp shooting to open up an 11-point lead at the half.
Three three-pointers by McLaughlin helped the Owls extend their lead further in the third and the Owls had a 14-point lead going into the final quarter. The Skyhawks pushed back in the fourth and cut the lead to two with one minute left in the game, but late free throws by Maddie Brown and Paige Decker were enough for the Owls to hold off the Skyhawks.
2017 NE10 Women's Basketball Championship
First Round - Friday, February 24th
Game 1: Southern Connecticut at Stonehill (No. 4 seed NE) – 7:00 PM
Game 2: Merrimack 63, Pace 51
Quarterfinals - Sunday, February 26th
Game 3: Southern Connecticut at Adelphi (No. 1 seed SW) – 3:00 PM
Game 4: Merrimack at Bentley (No. 1 seed NE) – 3:00 PM
Game 5: Saint Anselm (No. 3 seed NE) at American International (No. 2 seed SW) – 3:00 PM
Game 6: Le Moyne (No. 3 seed SW) at Assumption (No. 2 seed NE) – 3:00 PM
Semifinals - Thursday, March 2rd(at highest remaining seeds)
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 3 winner (7:00 PM)
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 4 winner (7:00 PM)
Championship - Sunday, March 5th(at highest remaining seed)
Game 9: Game 8 winner vs. Game 7 winner (1:00 PM)
Information for this release provided by the athletic communications staffs at Merrimack and Southern Connecticut.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
