Box Score | Box Score (HTML)
Fairfield, CT – In the series finale at the Pitt Center on Friday afternoon, the Wagner women's basketball couldn't complete the season sweep of the Sacred Heart Pioneers, falling by a 58-50 decision.
Following their 67-62 victory in game one of the series yesterday, the Seahawks split the two-game set with the Pioneers and fall to 1-2 on the year and 1-1 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while Sacred Heart improves to 2-4 and 2-2 in league contests.
Senior guard
Alayshia Dailey and junior
Kem Nwabudu each finished the contest with nine points with Dailey converting on 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. Nwabudu hit on 4-of-7 from the floor in 24 minutes of action.
Newcomer
Zhaneia Thybulle, senior
Khaleah Edwards, and junior
Drayah Heyward concluded the contest with seven points with Thybulle finishing with two assists and a steal in 25 minutes of play.
Three Pioneers placed in double-figures, led by Jayla Davis and Nikki Johnson, who each poured in 11 points on a combined 5-of-11 shooting from the floor and 10-of-13 from the charity stripe. Adrianne Hagood added 10 points in the victory.
Inside the Boxscore...
- This marked the first time since Feb. 10, 2020, that no Seahawk reached double figures.
- Both teams shot under 40.0 percent from the floor. The Pioneers shot 81.0 percent from the free-throw line (17-of-21) while Wagner connected on just 65.0 percent (13-of-20).
- 13 of Wagner's 50 points came off fast-break chances.
- Sacred Heart converted 15 points off 21 Seahawk turnovers.
- The Pioneers held the advantage on the boards by a mark of 42-25.
How It Happened…
First Quarter…
- For the second straight day, Nwabudu got the visitors on the board with a layup off the fast break after receiving the pass from Thybulle.
- Both Thybulle and Nwabudu paired up for the basket/assist for the first time since being high school teammates at Elmont Memorial Prep.
- The Pioneers sparked an 11-2 run of its own in building a 13-6 lead after Davis was able to make both her attempts at the free-throw line.
- Marisa Sanchez-Henry, who finished with five points this afternoon, was able to halt the Pioneers' run with a layup off the turnover by Sonia Smith.
- Sacred Heart scored four of the final six points in the stanza in extending its lead to seven, 17-10.
Second Quarter…
- Sacred Heart upped the lead to 19-11 following a Smith jumper before the Seahawks responded.
- Wagner ignited an 8-0 run of its own, starting with a three from Sanchez-Henry and ending with an Emilija Krista Grava second chance layup in the paint that tied the game at 19-19 at the 7:46 mark.
- Kelsey Wood went on to score the next five points for the home team before the Green & White staged a comeback.
- Edwards swished home a right-wing three before retaking the lead at the line by Thybulle, which put the Seahawks ahead 25-24.
- Dailey added a pair from the line that upped the lead to three before Nikki Johnson sank a triple, knotting the game at 27-27, with 2:33 to go before the break.
- Grad transfer, Kate Tokuhara, was able to give the Seahawks a slim 29-27 advantage, but, Hagood completed the traditional three-point play, as Sacred Heart held a 30-29 halftime lead.
Third Quarter…
- Wagner claimed a 33-32 lead after Edwards was able to outrun the SHU defender off-the-fast-break and bank home the layup. Sacred Heart answered back with a Smith two from just outside the paint.
- Asia McCray's two free throws helped Sacred Heart score nine of the next 13 points in building a 40-35 lead before Nwabudu was able to stop the run.
- On the next SHU possession, Johnson was able to bank in a three that extended the lead to six, 43-37, but Wagner kept fighting back, with Thybulle hitting a triple of her own, to bring it back to a one-possession game, 43-40.
- Davis made the backend of a two-shot foul as Sacred Heart held on to a 44-40 lead heading to the final quarter.
Fourth Quarter…
- Wood opened the scoring in the final frame for the Pioneers but Krista Grava was able to respond with a layup that kept the Pioneers lead to four, 46-42.
- At the 6:54 mark, Heyward trimmed the lead to 48-45 but Wagner was held without a point over the next four minutes as the Pioneers increased the lead to 52-45.
- Dailey scored the next three points, as the Seahawks trailed 52-48.
- It would be the closest that the visitors would get as the Pioneers netted six of the final eight points in securing a 58-50 win.
Opening Statement...
Up Next…
- The Seahawks will remain on the road as they are scheduled to take on the LIU Sharks in Brooklyn on Thursday, Jan. 14, and Friday, Jan. 15.
- Both games from the Steinberg Wellness Center are slated for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.
