EASTON, Mass. (December 30, 2024) – The University of New Hampshire shot 64 percent from the floor, including 4-for-7 from three-point distance, to break open a one-point game at halftime and post a 74-57 victory over Stonehill College in a non-conference women's basketball matchup on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.
Senior
Clara Gomez posted a double-double with game-high totals of 25 points and 11 rebounds with a game-best six assists to lead three from New Hampshire in double-figures. She scored 19 points in the second half on 8-of-10 shooting as the Wildcats shot 64 percent from the floor (16-for-25), including 8-of-11 (72.7%) in the third quarter, to turn the one-point edge (31-30) at the intermission into a nine-point cushion (54-45) heading to the fourth. Gomez finished 10-of-15 shooting overall, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, while chipping in with a pair of steals.
Freshman
Elizabeth Lavoie added 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting off the UNH bench, draining 4-of-5 threes, to go with two rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Sophomore
Eva DeChent rounded out the Wildcats in double-figures with 14 points and three steals.
Senior
Sharn Hayward and sophomore
Brooke Paquette combined for 30 points to lead Stonehill as their two double-figure scorers, connecting on 12-of-23 shots (52.2 percent), including 4-for-12 (33.3%) from deep, while the remainder of the team finished 11-for-29 (37.9%) from the floor, including 1-for-6 from three. Hayward scored in double-figures for the fifth-straight game and tenth time this season overall with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, four rebounds, and four assists. Paquette scored eight of her 14 points in the opening quarter, finishing 5-for-9 from the floor and 2-for-4 from three while converting both free-throw attempts to go with four assists, three boards, and a steal. Senior
Maureen Stapleton chipped in with a team-high eight rebounds and dished four assists for Stonehill.
Paquette scored eight of the Skyhawks first ten points in the contest and finished with 14 points, four assists and three rebounds (PHOTO BY Jarod Minassian/Stonehill Athletics) |
Stonehill held a four-point lead (7-3) after Paquette scored its first five points before freshman
Megan Sias added a layup with 4:34 to play in the opening quarter. Paquette's second three-pointer of the opening frame in which she scored eight of the Skyhawks first ten points, pushed the hosts back in front (10-7) with 3:18 remaining, but UNH responded with eight-straight points for a five-point lead (15-10) after two free-throws from junior
Lucia Melero Sabat with 43-seconds remaining before Hayward capped the quarter with a triple to pull Stonehill within two (15-13) heading to the second.
UNH opened the second quarter with eight of the first ten points to grab an eight-point cushion (23-15) after a three-pointer from Gomez two minutes in. Stonehill answered with eight-straight points from four different players to pull even (23-23) on a Sias layup with 4:30 remaining. The Wildcats restored a five-point lead (28-23) on a DeChent layup with three minutes left in the half, but the Skyhawks pulled level again on a Hayward triple with 1:19 remaining. Lavoie answered with a three at the other end for UNH, but Paquette pulled Stonehill back within one (31-30) at the break.
Paquette pushed Stonehill in front (32-31) with the opening basket of the second half, but a 14-5 run saw UNH take a ten-point lead (49-39) with 3:50 to play in the third quarter after seven-straight points from Gomez. The Skyhawks closed back within six (49-43) after a Hayward layup with 2:53 remaining in the third, but the Wildcats carried a nine-point lead (54-45) into the fourth after a Gomez layup with 16 seconds left.
Stonehill was still within eight (65-57) after a Hayward jumper midway through the fourth quarter but would not score again as UNH sealed the win by scoring the last nine points of the game from there. DeChent scored five of the Wildcats nine points during the clinching run, including a three-pointer with 3:35 to play to put the visitors up 13 (70-57).
Noteworthy
