Assumption and Bentley to Host Semifinals on Thursday.
MANSFIELD, Mass. - Three of the top four seeds advanced through the quarterfinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball Championship on Sunday, but it was No. 8 Pace that highlighted the day with a stunning upset of top-seeded Le Moyne in an overtime battle in Syracuse.
With the 49-47 win over the Dolphins, the Setters will move on to their first league semifinal since the 2011-12 season. They will play at No. 4 Bentley on Thursday, which earned a 70-54 victory over No. 12 Franklin Pierce. No. 2 Assumption will host No. 3 Southern New Hampshire in the semifinals after both teams earned quarterfinal wins against No. 7 Southern Connecticut and No. 11 Saint Rose, respectively.
For the full Championship schedule, please see below. All NE10 Championship contests, including Thursday's semifinals, will be live streamed on NE10 NOW - the Conference's digital streaming platform.
No. 8 Pace 49, No. 1 Le Moyne 47 (OT) - Box Score
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Pace women's basketball team upset No. 1 seed Le Moyne, 49-47 in overtime, on Sunday afternoon at Ted Grant Court in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship quarterfinals. Led by a double-double by sophomore center Tower Lorde with 15 points, 16 rebounds, the No. 8 Setters kept it tight with the Dolphins from tip to the final buzzer. Lorde also added four steals to her impressive quarterfinal stat line.
It was only the sixth loss for Le Moyne this season. Pace had handed Le Moyne another of those losses earlier this season, 58-54, on Jan. 7. That game was also in Syracuse. The Dolphins beat the Setters on their home court, 53-43 on Jan. 24.
Graduate student guard Lauren Hackett added 12 points with three assists, while sophomore forward Arianna Stockinger sunk 11 points. Sophomore guard Shanice Sinclair had nine rebounds and Katumina Mansaray pulled down eight.
Pace will travel to play No. 4 Bentley on Thursday in the NE10 Championship semifinals.
No. 2 Assumption 60, No. 7 SCSU 44 - Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. – For the second time within a week, the Assumption women's basketball team defeated Southern Connecticut State, this time with a score of 60-44 in the Northeast-10 Conference quarterfinals Sunday afternoon in Laska Gymnasium.
Assumption overcame a 20-turnover performance by playing some defense of its own - holding SCSU to just 26-percent shooting as a team - on its way to victory. Monica Spain tallied a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds in the win for the Greyhounds, who will make their first NE10 Championship semifinal appearance since the 2013-14 season.
The Greyhounds will host No. 3 Southern New Hampshire on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
No. 3 SNHU 69, No. 11 Saint Rose 55 - Box Score
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Senior Ariana Koivisto scored a career-high 24 points to help lead third-seed SNHU to a 69-55 win over Saint Rose in a Northeast-10 Championship quarterfinal on Sunday afternoon at the Stan Spirou Field House.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Koivisto – 24 points (7-11 FG, 3-6 3-PT, 7-8 FT) – 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
- Junior Jess Knight – 14 points (4-12 FG, 6-8 FT) – 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
- Senior Adriana Timberlake – 12 points (3-13 FG, 2-9 3-PT, 4-4 FT), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
- Senior Jenna Roche- 8 points (2-9 FG, 1-3 3-PT, 3-6 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
KEY MOMENTS
- The Penmen played from the lead for most of the contest, opening a 5-0 lead on a three-pointer from junior Julie Colby and a field goal from Knight at 7:21. SNHU had a 20-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
- The lead grew to as many as 14 in the second quarter, which saw the Penmen hold the Golden Knights to just 10 points on 3-for-17 shooting.
- The Penmen maintained a double-digit lead through the third quarter, taking a 46-31 lead on a Knight second-chance bucket with 3:41 to go.
- When Roche hit a three-pointer with 43 seconds left in the third quarter, the Penmen had a 52-33 lead, the biggest of the contest.
- Saint Rose did close to within eight, but no closer. SNHU hit just 2-of-12 field goals in the fourth quarter, but made 13-of-16 free throws, including 6-for-6 by Koivisto to maintain the lead to the buzzer.
SNHU will travel to play No. 2 Assumption on Thursday night in the NE10 Championship semifinals at 7 p.m.
No. 4 Bentley 70, No. 12 Franklin Pierce 54 - Box Score
WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior forward Maggie Whitmore scored 15 of her 23 points in the second half to lead fourth-seeded Bentley to a 70-54 win over 12th-seeded Franklin Pierce in the quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball Championships Sunday afternoon on Barbara Stevens Court.
The victory lifted the 19-9 Falcons into the conference semifinals for the 37th time in 40 years. By virtue of top-seeded Le Moyne falling to Pace, Bentley will host eighth-seeded Pace Thursday night with a berth in the NE10 championship game on the line.
Four Bentley players scored in double-figures in Sunday's game, including Ella Thompson with 13 points, Julia Elie with 12 and Ciara Norman with 10.
NE10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round Friday, February 24th:
Game 1: #4 Bentley 59, #13 Saint Michael's 39
Game 2: #12 Franklin Pierce 57, #5 New Haven 49
Game 3: #11 Saint Rose 77, #6 American International 63
Game 4: #7 So. Connecticut 72, #10 Adelphi 66
Game 5: #8 Pace 60, #9 Saint Anselm 48
Quarterfinals Sunday, February 26th:
Game 6: #8 Pace 49, #1 Le Moyne 47 (OT)
Game 7: #2 Assumption 60, #7 So. Connecticut 44
Game 8: #3 So. New Hampshire 69, #11 Saint Rose 55
Game 9: #4 Bentley 70, #12 Franklin Pierce 54
Semifinals Thursday, March 2nd (at highest remaining seeds):
Game 10: #8 Pace at #4 Bentley - TBA
Game 11: #3 So. New Hampshire at #2 Assumption - 7 P.M.
Championship Sunday, March 5th (at highest remaining seed):
Game 12: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner (at highest remaining seed)
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 13 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 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, 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.
