Links: Box Score
Postgame Comments: Courtney Clasen

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team has now won five Northeast Conference basketball games in a row after beating Bryant University 61-53.  Sophomore Kate Mager scored a team-high 20 points after going 7-13 from the field, including knocking down five threes.  Freshman Jayme DeCesare scored 15 points for the Warriors.  Graduate student Courtney Clasen earned her first career double-double after scoring 11 points and pulling in a season-high 11 rebounds.  Senior Denia Davis-Stewart also chipped in with 10 points on the afternoon.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 61, Bryant 53
Records: Merrimack (17-8, NEC 10-4) |Bryant (8-16, NEC 6-7)
Location: Chace Athletic Center | Smithfield, R.I.

Rapid Recap

• Mager knocked down a three to put the Warriors on the board after four straight Bulldog points to start the game.  Freshman Diamond Christian knocked down a three after coming off the bench to put Merrimack up four with just over two minutes left in the quarter.  A Davis-Stewart three ball put the Warriors up five with under a minute left in the first.
• A Mager layup put the Warriors up eight early on in the second quarter.  Mager knocked down one of her five threes to put the Warriors up nine.  Bryant cut the lead to three after going on a 6-0 run.  Clasen scored on a jumper with 50 seconds left in the half to give Merrimack a five-point advantage heading into the locker rooms.
• In the third, the Warriors went up five early on in the quarter after a DeCesare jumper.  Mager knocked down another three to put Merrimack up six after a Bryant layup.  The Bulldogs tied the game up with 5:16 left in the quarter.  Clasen and Mager hit threes on back-to-back possessions to put the Warriors up six.  To end the quarter Clasen knocked down a near half court shot to give Merrimack a six-point lead heading into the final frame.  
• DeCesare hit her first three of the quarter, putting Merrimack up seven early on in the fourth.  Bryant cut the lead to three on a Sydney Holloway layup.  The Bulldogs then cut the lead to two with just over four minutes to play.  Merrimack came storming back going on an 8-0 run highlighted by a DeCesare three that was banked in.  Bryant cut the lead to six at one point, but it was not enough to hold off Merrimack who won the game by eight.

Notes and Numbers

• Clasen earned her first double-double of the season in this afternoon's victory.
• Merrimack caused 13 turnovers
• With the win the Warriors move to 10-4 in conference play and 17-8 overall in their first Division I season.

Up Next
Merrimack hots the rematch against Sacred Heart University on Friday afternoon.  Tipoff is set for 12:30 p.m.