Box Score HENNIKER, N.H.-The New England College women's basketball team hit a buzzer-beater to take a one-point lead into halftime and did not look back, using a 31-4 third quarter to propel themselves to a 91-55 victory over the Eagles of Daniel Webster College on Wednesday evening.
The game marked the first NCAA Division III contest for both teams this year.
NEC LEADERS
The Pilgrims received a game-high 20 points from first-year Rene Hudson (Gallatin, Tenn.) and saw three other players score in double figures in the victory.
Mikala Malboeuf (Fitchburg, Mass.) scored 15 points for NEC, followed by
Marjani Lillard (Bowie, Md.) and Haleigh Martin (Bergenfield, N.J.) who scored 11 points apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first quarter ended in an 18-18 deadlock and both teams finished with five baskets from the floor. The Eagles gained some momentum in the second frame, as they quickly worked their way into an eight-point lead at 28-20.
The Eagles would hold onto their advantage until the two-minute mark when NEC hit back-to-back baskets by Malboeuf and Kourtney Elmore (Concord, N.C.) to cut Daniel Webster's lead to two points at 36-34. This set up Lillard for the buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the Pilgrims into the locker room with the 37-36 advantage.
NEC was unstoppable from there, outscoring their guests 54-19 for the victory.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
DANIEL WEBSTER LEADERS
The Eagles received a team-best 13 points from Escarlin Reynoso (Lawrence, Mass.). Kayla Free (Quincy, Mass.) scored eight points and recorded a team-best nine rebounds.
BY THE NUMBERS
- NEC shot 46.5 percent from the floor, including a 12-19 (63.2 percent) performance in the third quarter alone.
- Daniel Webster hit 20 of 56 shots from the floor (35.7 percent) and connected on 11 of 16 from the free-throw line (68.8 percent).
- Hudson scored 13 of her 20 points in the third quarter. NEC held Daniel Webster scoreless for a stretch of 6:04 in the third.
- NEC's 91 points are the most they've scored November 29, 2012, when they scored 91 points in a win over Johnson State.
WHAT'S NEXT
New England College returns to action on Friday when it travels to the Gordon College Invitational for two games. NEC will take on Eastern Connecticut State on Friday at 5:00 p.m. and will play Fisher College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
