BEVERLY, Mass. (Jan. 12) – The Endicott College women’s basketball team used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to erase a three-point halftime deficit as the Gulls defeat Nichols College, 63-55, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference hoops action on Tuesday night. Endicott improves to 8-4 and 2-0 in the TCCC while the Bison drop to 7-6 and 0-2 in conference. Ashley Wright paced the Gulls with a game-high 26 points.
Both teams traded baskets at the beginning of the half as the lead changed hands nine times in the frame. Nichols grabbed a three-point edge at the 9:01 mark on a jumper by Jessica Nelson (North Providence, R.I.), but Endicott quickly wiped away their lead as the Gulls took a four-point advantage nearly four minutes later on a layup by Ceciley Chisholm. The lead would be short-lived, however, as Nichols rallied with a 9-2 run to end the period and went into the half up 28-25.
Wright led all scorers at the break with 13 points while Chisholm racked up four points, four rebounds, and four steals despite the Gulls shooting 27.6% from the field in the first half. Nichols, who shot 46.4% in the half, was led by Kristina Lindgren’s (Sturbridge, Mass.) nine points and five rebounds as well as Nelson’s six points and four rebounds.
Coming out of the intermission, the Bison jumped out to a 35-26 lead by using a 7-1 run on a pair of jumpers by Nelson and a three ball by Ashley Robidoux (Milford, Mass.). Endicott then made their move, as the Gulls overcame the nine point deficit by using the three-ball. Following a pair of Chisholm free-throws, Wright sandwiched a pair of shots from beyond the arc around a Kate Kovach make from downtown as the duo led the Gulls to a 39-37 lead.
Nichols tied the score at 43-all with just under 11-minutes to play before Endicott burst out to an 11-point lead with just over three-minutes to go. The Bison would only cut the lead to six before time ran out, leaving the Gulls with their second straight conference victory.
Endicott overcame a poor shooting night (31.7%) by forcing 32 turnovers and grabbing 20 steals. The Bison won the battle on the glass, 43-33, while also shooting 41.1% from the floor.
Wright led all scorers with 26 points while Kovach finished with 12 points and Ashley Vitale added 10 points and seven rebounds. Chisholm had an all-around game as the senior scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and swiped a game-high eight steals. Nichols was led by 17 points and nine rebounds from Nelson while Robidoux chipped in with 13 points.
The Blue and Green return to action on Saturday as the Gulls travel to Springfield, Mass. for another TCCC matchup against Western New England College at 1:00 p.m. Nichols returns home for the first time since December 9th as the Bison host New England College at 1:00 p.m. in Dudley, Mass.
Story by Endicott Sports Information
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