Box Score (PDF) |
Box Score (HTML)
North Andover, MA – Led by double-digit scoring from three players, the Wagner women's basketball team extended its winning streak to three after earning a 56-43 road triumph over the Merrimack College Warriors on Friday afternoon.
Emilija Krista Grava posted her first double-double of the season, finishing with a game-high 14 points and ten rebounds. Krista Grava shot 7-of-13 from the field in 33 minutes of action.
Zhaneia Thybulle set a new career-high, scoring 12 points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor while also establishing a career-best five assists in her 31 minutes of play.
Kem Nwabudu added 10 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes.
Alyssa Casey was the lone Merrimack player to reach double-digits, as she scored 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field in 19 minutes of play. Jayme DeCesare chipped in nine while Mayson Kimball concluded the contest with seven points.
Inside the Box Score...
- Wagner moves to 4-2 overall and 4-1 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play. The Warriors fall to 0-3 on the season.
- The Seahawks held a slim 36-35 edge on the boards.
- The Green & White, who entered play leading the conference in both field goal and three-point field goal percentage defense, held the Warriors to just 29.1 percent shooting from the floor and 11.5 percent from the three-point range.
- Wagner's defense converted 19 of its 56 points off 23 Merrimack turnovers.
- Krista Grava, Thybulle and Nwabudu combined to 15-of-31 from the field (48.3% FG)
- Khaleah Edwards chipped in nine points while LaNiya Miller tallied five points.
How It Happened…
First Quarter
- Both teams struggled early on in the contest before Kimball was able to convert a three-pointer from the top-of-the-key in netting the game's first points.
- Krista Grava gave the visitors a slight lead, 4-3, with back-to-back baskets before Merrimack answered back with a pair of baskets from Kimball and Kate Mager as the Warriors regained the lead, 8-4.
- Wagner began to find its rhythm, as the Seahawks closed out the quarter on a 7-2 run in holding a one-point advantage, 11-10.
Second Quarter
- Wagner was in complete control in the early stages of the second quarter, as the visitors ignited a 15-2 run, building a 26-12 lead.
- During the near 4:30 run, Wagner converted on 70.0 percent shooting (7-of-10) as Nwabudu and Miller combined for 11 of the 15 points in upping the margin to 14.
- Wagner's defense held the Warriors to just 1-of-5 during that span, with the lone hoop coming from DeCesare at the 8:14 mark.
- Merrimack answered back with a 12-0 run of their own, as the Seahawks found themselves leading, 26-24.
- The Warriors hit on 71.4 percent (5-of-7) of their shots with Casey and Nadeshka Bridgewater serving as the catalyst, combining for ten of 12 points.
- The Seahawks were limited to just four attempts over the four-minute run.
- Krista Grava put an end to the Merrimack run, as her layup with 28 seconds upped the lead to 28-24 and gave her 10 points for the game.
- Following a missed three-pointer from Casey, Wagner was able to get the ball back and Thybulle raced to the goal for the left-handed layup, giving the Green & White a six-point halftime advantage.
Third Quarter
- Wagner built a ten-point lead, 38-28, after Edwards was able to bank one off-the-window from Thybulle.
- Merrimack stopped a four-minute scoring drought between the two schools as Casey hit a jumper after receiving the pass from Kaylee Thomas that closed the gap to seven, 38-31.
- The Seahawks closed out the quarter on a 6-0 run, capped by Raven Pitt beating the third quarter horn as Wagner lead 44-31.
Fourth Quarter
- Alayshia Dailey was able to hit on a pair from the line that pushed the lead to 15, 46-31, before DeCesare was able to drain a three-pointer from the wing that brought Merrimack to within 12 with 8:53 left to play.
- Wagner outscored Merrimack, 10-5, over the next six minutes in taking its largest lead of the game, 56-39, as Krista Grava was able to make the layup.
- Alana Fursman and DeCesare scored the final points of the game as the Seahawks earned their third straight win.
- Opening Statement...
- "Overall, I'm really proud of the team's effort, especially defensively. We set goals for games and today we executed our three defensive goals."
- "As a group though, I thought they were locked in."
- On Defensive Effort…
- "We are going to change it up. We are going to mix it up. We know that teams are going to expect that but it is something we pride ourselves on and I think that speaks largely to the group we have. The maturity to make adjustments, to be prepared, to see if its going to be one thing and then another… to do it and to do it well, it's a credit to the girls.
- On Three Players Scoring In Double-Figures…
- "You know, Emilija (Krista Grava) and Kem (Nwabudu) are quite the duo… Both of them are All-Conference players, Emilija last season and Kem at her previous institution, so it is tough to guard one of them, let alone both at the same time."
- "For them, they share the ball, so whoever is putting the ball in, is putting the ball in and for me and the coaching staff, it is really fun to watch."
- "They want to win…Period… We are looking to take advantage of that… We know and they know they (Krista and Nwabudu) are going to get doubled, but our shooters will be ready to shoot or get the ball and send it back to them."
- On 15-2 Run To Start Second Quarter Run and Merrimack's 12-0 Run Response…
- "I can't take any credit for that. That was the team settling in which made me say, 'okay, we are here now."
- "We were a little bit out-of-sorts today, but, overall happy to learn some lessons with the win."
- On today's game…
- "I think we did a good job in sharing the ball and capitalizing on fast-breaks."
- Chemistry with Kem (Nwabudu) and Zhaneia (Thybulle)…
- "I think that the chemistry is starting to develop… We are getting used to one another's game and for Z (Zhaneia), she facilitates the offense, so to continue building on that chemistry will be strong for all of us."
- On today's game…
- "We came in and executed on the game plan. We applied pressure on their ball handlers, boxed-out."
- On career-high 12 points and five assist performance…
- "It felt good. Going into practice and talking with Coach Jacobs about what I need to do for the team and for the rest of the season… I just had to get my feet wet and get it going."
Up Next...
- Wagner and Merrimack conclude their season series on Saturday afternoon with tip-off set for 1:00 p.m. at Hammel Court.
