MILWAUKEE, Wis. (December 21, 2024) – Marquette University limited Stonehill College at the offensive end in posting a wire-to-wire 87-42 victory in a non-conference women's basketball matchup at the Al McGuire Center this afternoon.
Sophomore
Skylar Forbes posted a double-double to pace Marquette with game-highs of 25 points and ten rebounds, adding three assists and three steals in shooting 7-of-15 from the floor, including 3-for-7 from three-point distance, and converting 8-of-11 free-throws. Classmate
Halle Vice added 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting and five rebounds, while senior
Lee Volker, a transfer from Duke University, rounded out the Golden Eagles in double-figures with ten points, six boards, three assists and two steals. All 11 Marquette players who played for more than four minutes scored in the balanced effort.
Senior
Sharn Hayward scored in double-figures for the fourth-straight game to lead Stonehill, netting 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three, with three rebounds and a steal. Sophomore
Brooke Paquette added seven points, three assists, and two rebounds, while freshman
Megan Sias chipped in five points, four boards, and a steal off the bench.
Stonehill was held to a season-low 28.3 percent shooting, including 4-for-17 (23.5%) from three, with Marquette turning a commanding 50-26 rebounding advantage into outscoring the Skyhawks 16-0 in second-chance points.
Hayward and Paquette connected for three-pointers to keep Stonehill within three (9-6) in the opening four minutes of the game. Marquette followed with ten-straight points, including a pair of three-pointers from Forbes to open a 13-point lead (19-6) with 2:31 remaining in the first quarter. The Skyhawks pulled to within nine (19-10) with a layup from postgrad
Kylie Swider with 1:16 remaining, but the Golden Eagles scored the last five points of the half, capped by a three by senior
Abbey Cracknell, to take a 14-point lead (24-10) into the second.
Marquette outscored Stonehill 11-2 over the first five minutes of the second quarter to extend its run to 15-2 and push its lead past 20 (35-12), where it would stay for the remainder of the game. Stonehill made 7-of-14 shots (50%) in the third quarter and turned the ball over just three times in the final 20 minutes but was unable to stop the Golden Eagles at the other end to chip into the lead. Marquette finished shooting 54 percent from the floor overall, including 7-for-20 (35%) from downtown.
Noteworthy
- This afternoon marked the first meeting all-time between Stonehill and Marquette with the Skyhawks playing in the State of Wisconsin for the first time and the Golden Eagles marking their first opponent all-time from the state.
- Marquette is Stonehill's third BIG EAST opponent over its first three years at the NCAA Division I level after falling at Providence College and DePaul University the last two years.
- Hayward scored in double-figures for the ninth time this season (21st career).
- Stonehill was outrebounded for just the fifth time in 12 games this season.
- Nine of the 13 Skyhawks who dressed today scored points.
Up Next
Stonehill (4-8, 0-0 NEC) is off until after Christmas when it will return to Merkert Gymnasium to close out its non-conference schedule and open a four-game homestand by hosting the University of New Hampshire on Monday, December 30, at 4 p.m. Marquette (8-3, 0-0 BIG EAST) opens conference play on Sunday, December 29, at DePaul University at 2 p.m.
Tickets for home Stonehill basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and check out its all-new website, powered by Sidearm Sports, at stonehillskyhawks.com.
