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North Andover, MA – Trailing 63-58 with 1:09 left to go in regulation, the Wagner women's basketball team got the game-tying basket from
Zhaneia Thybulle with two seconds showing on the clock and was able to outscore Merrimack, 10-4, in the extra session as Wagner defeated the Warriors, 74-68, on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory, the Seahawks upped their winning streak to four straight games and moved to 5-2 overall and 5-1 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play. The Warriors fell to 0-4 on the year and remain winless in conference action.
This marks the Seahawks' best start through six conference games since 1998-99, when that team also went 5-1 to start league play and finished with a 16-12 record and 13-7 in the conference.
Four Seahawks placed in double-figures, led by
Khaleah Edwards, who poured in a team and season-high 19 points.
Kem Nwabudu and
Amanda Pollard each scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in the victory.
Zhaneia Thybulle rounded out the scoring with ten points.
Merrimack's Kate Mager led all scorers with a game-high 21 points on 7 of 12 shooting from the floor. Mayson Kimball added 11 points while Alyssa Casey posted a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Inside the Box Score...
- The Warriors held a 45-32 edge on the boards.
- The Seahawks turned 19 Warriors mishaps into 24 points.
- Wagner only held the lead for 6:51 and outscored the Warriors, 34-20 over the fourth and overtime periods.
- Alayshia Dailey dished out a season-high eight assists.
- Kate Tokuhara matched her career-high, recording five steals. It marked the third time in her career she has done so and first since recording five at New Mexico State back on Feb. 29, 2020, when she was a member of CSU-Bakersfield.
How It Happened
First Quarter
- Edwards got the game's first points off a three-pointer after getting the pass from Dailey, but the lead was short-lived, as Mager answered back with a long-range triple.
- The Warriors rattled off the next five points in taking an 8-3 lead as DeCesare was able to hit from the outside.
- Edwards continued to pace the Seahawks, scoring the next six Wagner points, that trimmed the deficit to 11-9 with 7:09 left in the quarter
- Merrimack took its largest lead of the first half, 16-9, as Casey was able to corral the offensive rebound and score on the putback.
- The Seahawks staged a 6-0 run in closing the gap back to one, 16-15, with 1:30 left as Krista Grava was able to hit the fall away jumper.
- Fursman added a triple with just 15 seconds showing, giving Merrimack a 19-15 advantage.
- The Warriors outrebounded the Seahawks, 12-3, in the opening quarter.
Second Quarter
- The visitors opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run, which gave Wagner a 22-21 lead, thanks to a three-pointer from Alayshia Dailey
- The two teams were still trying to find baskets, but, over the final 5:31 of the quarter, Merrimack was able to outscore the Seahawks, 10-6, in taking a 31-28 halftime lead.
Third Quarter
- Out of the halftime break, Edwards brought the Seahawks to within one, 31-30, as Dailey was able to spot a cutting Edwards on her way to the basket.
- Merrimack went on a 7-2 run, which increased the lead to 38-32, as the Warriors didn't allow the Seahawks to make a field goal over the three-minute run.
- Pollard converted on her first three-pointer of the season and promptly followed that basket with another a minute later, as the Seahawks trailed by one possession, 41-38, with 3:39 left.
- Merrimack scored seven straight points that gave the home team its largest lead of the contest, 48-38, as Casey completed the traditional three-point play with under a minute to go.
- Tokuhara was able to swipe the ball away from Kimball and drive the length of the court for the easy layup as Wagner cut the lead back to single digits, 48-40.
Fourth Quarter
- Wagner scored nine of the first 13 points in the fourth quarter, with Dailey capping the 9-4 run from the line as the Seahawks found themselves trailing, 52-49, with 4:12 left in regulation.
- Merrimack, once again, was able to increase its advantage, outscoring the Seahawks, 9-4, over the next two minutes, and taking a 61-53 lead, thanks to a Mager layup.
- Momentum began to shift in the favor of the visitors over the next two minutes, as the Seahawks forced a trio of Warriors' turnovers and saw the line shrink to one, 63-62 after Drayah Heyward came up with the steal and the basket on the offensive end.
- Kimball made the front-end of a two-shot foul with 23 seconds remaining. Heyward was able to locate the rebound and quickly called for time.
- On the Seahawks' ensuing possession, Edwards had her layup redirected by Diamond Christian, but Thybulle was in the right place at the right time, as she was able to lay it up just before the horn sounded, sending the game to overtime, tied at 64.
Overtime
- Wagner took control in the extra period, as Edwards scored the team's first five points, giving Wagner a 69-64 lead.
- Merrimack was able to cut it down to three, 71-68, with 2:05 left, but Emilija Krista Grava laid one off-the-window that pushed the lead to 73-68 with just 1:44 left in the first overtime period.
- The Warriors had a chance to cut into the deficit, as Mager secured the defensive rebound and called for time with 26 seconds left.
- On the ensuing Merrimack possession, Kimball turned the ball over and Wagner got the ball back and called their final timeout.
- When play resumed, Dailey got fouled and made one of two from the line, securing Wagner's fifth win of the season and fourth straight.
Postgame Interview.
Head Coach Heather Jacobs
Opening Statement...
- I am proud of our team's effort today from top to bottom. Their poise and resilience down-the-stretch and our balance attack was terrific.
On Amanda Pollard and Khaleah Edwards' Performance...
- Both Amanda and Khaleah can shoot it. I was happy for them. We (as a staff) knew this was coming but just wasn't sure when.I think this group is motivated by a lot of different things. One thing that they all share in common is enjoying one another's success. They do a great job celebrating each other on and off the court."
On What Motivates This Group...
- I think this group is motivated by a lot of different things. One thing that I believe they all share in common is that they enjoy one another's success. They do a great job celebrating each other's success, both on and off the court."
Up Next...
- Wagner will gear up for its home opener, slated for February 4-5, as they will welcome the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers.
- Tip-off for both games is slated for 4:00 p.m.
