THE BASICS:
- Score: Merrimack 76, Assumption 63
- Records: Merrimack (15-7, 8-7 NE10) Assumption (11-11, 6-9 NE10)
- Location: Worcester, Mass. (Laska Gymnasium)
- The Lead: Assumption started out strong, but lost momentum headed into the second half. Despite a hard fought battle, the Hounds ran out of time and fell 76-63.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Assumption took a quick 6-2 lead following two Brianna Capacchione (Washington Township, N.J./Washington Township) threes at the 9:15 mark. Merrimack was quick to tie it up with free throws by Denia Davis-Stewart and a layup by Karlee Alves. The Warriors took the lead shortly after with an Alyssa Casey layup to give them the 8-7 advantage. With 5:59 left in the quarter, the Warriors continued with their momentum and went on a 5-0 run to take a 13-9 lead. The Hounds answered with four straight points to tie the game at 13 with just 4:47 left in the quarter. Both teams traded baskets for the remainder until Merrimack scored six unanswered points with 1:11 left to take a 23-15 lead at the end of one.
- The Warriors held their momentum in the second, scoring the first basket to gain a ten-point lead (25-15). Morgan O'Donnell (Easton, Mass./Ursuline Academy) slowed Merrimack down with a layup at the 9:27 mark. Merrimack then scored six straight points to lead 31-17 only to be answered with a 4-0 rally by the Hounds. Assumption continued their momentum with six unanswered points with 3:09 left in the quarter to get within eight of the Warriors (36-28). The Warriors ended the quarter with five consecutive points to earn a 13-point lead before Abby McKanna (Narragansett, R.I./Narragansett) threw in a layup with 38 seconds to head into halftime down 41-30.
- The Hounds scored the first two points of the second half off O'Donnell free throws just 56 seconds into play. Two back-to-back threes for Merrimack extended their lead to 15 (47-32). A three by McKanna and two free throws by Caterina Fonseca (Enfield, Conn./Enfield High School) cut the Warriors lead to 12 (51-39) with 4:35 left in the third quarter. Five more points for the Warriors stretched the lead to 18 (57-39) before O'Donnell drew a foul and swished two more free throws. Merrimack rushed down to make a buzzer-beater three to end the third quarter 60-41.
- O'Donnell started the scoring for the Hounds in the fourth with a quick jump shot just 22 seconds in, which sparked a 7-0 run to get within 12 (62-50) with 6:13 left to play. Merrimack answered with five straight points to earn a 67-50 lead. The Hounds outscored the Warriors 13-9 for the remainder of the game, but were unable to make up ground and fell 76-63.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- O'Donnell led the Hounds with 30 points, seven rebounds and two assists followed by McKanna with 10 points and five rebounds. Capacchione grabbed nine rebounds and contributed nine points while Temi Falayi (Peabody, Mass./St. Mary's) collected eight rebounds and seven points.
- Lindsay Werner of the Warriors had 25 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals on the night while Mayson Kimball earned 19 points and seven rebounds. Casey scored 10 points while adding two assists and three steals.
- The Hounds shot 32.8 percent from the floor, 35.7 percent from three and 69.6 percent from the foul line while earning 45 rebounds, 16 assists and seven steals. The Warriors shot 48.3 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from three and 100.0 percent from the foul line and collected 30 rebounds, 15 assists and 11 steals.
UP NEXT:
- The Hounds are home again on Saturday, February 9, at 1:30 p.m. against Bentley.
STAY CONNECTED:
- For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.