DURHAM, N.H. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team took on the University of New Hampshire in a matchup that required overtime to decide it. It was a tale of two halves with the Warriors dominant in the first and the Wildcats climbing their way back in the second. In the end though, the Warriors came out on top 70-64.
Merrimack needed everyone to achieve the victory in this one as four different players ended up with double digits in points. Sophomore,
Teneisia Brown, finished the night with her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Graduate student,
Paige McCormick, was on fire from the field throughout the game as she finished with 17 points while shooting 57%. Fellow graduate student,
Mayson Kimball, also finished with 17 points and hit a three with just under thirty seconds left in overtime to put the game on ice for Merrimack. Junior,
Jayme DeCesare also was a force in the paint during this one tying her career high in rebounds with nine.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 70, New Hampshire 64
Records: Merrimack (4-6, 0-0 NEC) | New Hampshire (3-7, 0-0 AE)
Location: Durham, N.H.
Rapid Recap
- The first quarter was a bit of a track race, but it was dominated by Merrimack. The Warriors doubled the Wildcats score 22-11 in the opening frame due to tenacious defense. The Warriors also out rebounded the Wildcats 10-8. The Warriors started out the game right where they wanted to be when Kimball found senior, Kate Mager, who drained a three. The following possession Brown stepped up on both ends as she deflected and stole a Wildcat pass and then drove down to the other end and finished for two. Merrimack continued its great defense in the first quarter when junior, Diamond Christian, followed up Brown's play by stealing the ball on one end and finishing at the other to have the Warriors feeling good going into the second.
- The second quarter was where the defense really showed up as only 19 points were scored combined. (10-9 MC) McCormick got the Warriors going early on as she hit a pull up mid-range jumper. Next up, Kimball drove to the hoop drawing two defenders to her. She then dished a feed to a wide open to Brown who scooped it up and in. McCormick once again hit a big shot for the Warriors after a solid assist from junior, Kaylee Thomas. The junior knifed her way to the paint and then threw a no look pass to McCormick who drained the three ending the first half going 4-5 from the field.
- The third quarter started with a UNH bucket and then the Warriors went to work offensively. DeCesare took the ball and fed an open Kimball who found the bottom of the net. Kimball then got three more points after she got a cross court pass from McCormick giving her seven on the afternoon. The rest of the quarter gave the Wildcats some momentum, but the Warriors still carried a six-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
- The lead the Warriors carried almost the entire game seemed to slip away in a matter of minutes in the fourth as the Wildcats finally found their stride. The Warriors defense kept them in the game though and didn't allow UNH to get a lead until just under the four-minute mark. That is where Merrimack decided they weren't going to lose this one as DeCesare once again found Kimball who buried another shot from beyond the arch to snatch the lead right back. Then after a key defensive stop, senior, Carla Balague, stretched the floor and delivered a pass to a wide-open McCormick who softly laid it in for two. There was just too much time left on the clock though, as the Wildcats took the ball to the hoop on the following possession and were able to tie the game with eleven seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
- After a little bit of a feeling out process in overtime, the Warriors re-found their stride and didn't look back. After two free-throws and a lay up for Brown, DeCesare was able to once again find a wide-open Kimball who took a step and buried another three which was the nail in the coffin.
Up Next
The Warriors will hit then road once again next week after the Christmas break as they will travel to Brooklyn, N.Y. to take on St. Francis Brooklyn on Wednesday, December 29
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For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.
