Women’s Basketball Handles Nichols, 98-72

BEVERLY, Mass. — The Endicott women's basketball team handled Nichols, 98-72, in a fast-paced Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) matchup on Tuesday evening at MacDonald Gymnasium. 

Cora Nadeau (Newport, Vt.) registered a career-high 30 points (14-19 FG, 2-2 FT) and distributed five assists off the bench (25 minutes).

Sarah Dempsey (Windham, N.H.) recorded her third double-double in four games ignited by 26 points (10-13 FG, 6-8 FT) and 15 rebounds.  

Emma Shinney (Wakefield, Mass.) filled the stat sheet with four points, a personal-best 12 rebounds, and nine dimes in 30 minutes, while Katelyn Konareski (Milford, Conn.) supplied 16 points (7-12 FG) and five assists.

The Gulls lead ballooned to 17-7 at the end of the first quarter. The hosts generated a 10-2 stretch and held the visitors without a made-field goal for the final 4:16 of the opening frame to secure the 10-point advantage after the opening stanza.

In the second quarter, Endicott stymied Nichols on both ends of the floor thanks to a 14-0 scoring run and held the Bison scoreless for the first 3:33 of the 10-minute frame. The spurt was fueled by Nadeau (6), Konareski (4), Shinney (2), and Alyssa Garabedian (Cheshire, Mass.) (2). 

Eventually, the Gulls led 46-22 at the break, before both teams traded baskets in a hectic third quarter with Endicott pushing its lead to 72-43.

In the final quarter, Endicott saw its largest lead grow to 33 points (82-49) with 7:22 remaining.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Prior to tonight's matchup, Nichols was the top-scoring offense in DIII with 85.6 points per game and third in three-pointers made with 9.6 per contest.
• The Gulls held Nichols to a season-low 30.7% shooting from the floor.
• Nadeau is the first freshman to score 30 points since Dempsey tied the single-game program and conference record of 37 points (2/2/22).
• The hosts recorded a season-best 98 points (third all-time) and dished out a single-game record 32 assists (previous record, 28, vs. Wentworth on 1/6/18).
• Endicott has won 16 of the last 17 meetings against the Bison dating back to 12/2/2015.
• Libby Fleming (Bangor, Maine) has ripped down seven or more rebounds in four consecutive games. She had 13 tonight.
• Endicott outrebounded Nichols, 59-34, and dished out 21 more assists (32-11). 
• The Blue and Green dominated in the paint with 62 points compared to Nichols' 34.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (8-5, 4-2 CCC) visits Western New England on Saturday, January 13 at 1:00 PM. Nichols (6-7, 3-3 CCC) travels to Boston to take on Suffolk on Saturday at 1:00 PM. 

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(Photo Credit - Leanna Puccio '24)