EMMITSBURG, Md. (January 30, 2025) – Limiting their opponent to 21 percent from the floor, Mount St. Mary's women's basketball built a strong defensive effort to earn a gradual 20-plus point advantage, defeating Merrimack 75-49 Thursday at Knott Arena.
The victory is the sixth straight for the Mountaineers, matching their longest win streak since the 2021-22 season. With the result, Mount is now 9-10 for the season and 6-3 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). They share third place with Siena but hold the edge over the Saints on a head-to-head tiebreaker.
Six different players registered double figures to earn the sixth straight win.
Madison Ruff and
Jo Raflo tied for a team high and game high 13 points.
Anna LeMaster,
Giana Hoddinott,
Gabrielle Kennerly, and
Nyodie Guerard tabulated 10 points apiece. LeMaster had the most rebounds with eight, and Hoddinott the most assists with five.
Merrimack falls to 8-11 (4-6 MAAC). Thalia Shepard equaled Ruff and Raflo's point total, and Madison Roman completed a double-double of 10 points and 16 rebounds.
The game was a slog, lasting 2 hours and 32 minutes of real time. A total of 39 personal fouls were registered and there were 35 turnovers, with 22 going to the Warriors.
It was a competitive first quarter as the Mount edged Merrimack, 15-13. Hoddinott utilized a turnover to score the go-ahead bucket with a handful of ticks left. That sparked a 9-2 scoring run, forcing a Warriors timeout. Raflo extended the burst to 11 with a layup before the visitors responded. A pair of Ruff foul shots gave the home side a 37-25 lead at the break.
Outscoring their foes 38-24 in the second half, the Mountaineers made a steady climb towards the lopsided final tally. Raflo capitalized on another turnover to push the game to 54-36, entering the fourth. Guerard earned a fast break of her own to put the contest over the 20-point margin, and it stayed here for almost the entirety of the time remaining.
On Saturday (Feb. 1), Mount St. Mary's celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day during their contest with Saint Peter's. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. from Knott Arena. For the first time, the Mountaineers will staff the game with an all-female scorer's table and broadcast talent.
NOTES
- The most recent six-game winning streak came in 2022, with the Mountaineers winning the final three games of the regular season before defeating Saint Francis U, Wagner, and Bryant in the Northeast Conference Championship.
- Thursday marked the first game this season where the Mount was victorious despite losing the rebound battle. Merrimack secured 50 boards, matching an opponent's high this year. The Mount was previously 0-10 when getting outrebounded.
- With 32 points, the Mount bench contributed its highest scoring output of the season. All five reserves scored at least one bucket.
- Raflo secured blocks number 68 and 69 for her career, giving the senior sole possession of 10th place on the Mount's all-time list.
