EMMITSBURG, Md. (January 19, 2026) – Mount St. Mary's women's basketball surpassed Niagara in Knott Arena on Monday afternoon by a score of 62-49, much in thanks to a fourth quarter run that saw the Mountaineers outscore the Purple Eagles 19-10. With the win, the Mount moves to 9-9 on the season, finally getting over the .500 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 5-4 record.
Giana Hoddinott once again led the Mountaineer offense with 14 points followed by a 13-point day from
Alana Powell, who got her second start in as many games. Powell grabbed five rebounds for the team while completing three steals in transition, recording an assist in the process.
Kayla Lindsey continued her good run of form off the bench, scoring eight with six rebounds and a steal.
Jaedyn Jamison and
Amber Bullard matched each other with six points on the day while Bullard and
Berlynn Carlson each grabbed six rebounds.
On the day, the Mountaineers out-rebounded the Purple Eagles 44-32, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds to Niagara's 10. In all, the team went 22-57 from the field, while struggling to shoot the long ball, posting a line of 4-17 from beyond the three-point arc. The Mountaineer's chaotic press also seemed to work against the Purple Eagles, with the team recording 17 steals in transition.
Both Mount St. Mary's and Niagara played out to a 13-13 tie to start the first quarter. Niagara jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before Powell and Bullard combine for four points in the paint. Niagara opened up a 7-6 lead halfway through the quarter, but a
Nyodie Guerard step-back three gave the Mountaineer's their first lead of the game with fourth minutes remaining. Both defenses remained choppy through the remainder of the period, with scores tied heading into the first intermission.
Niagara once again found themselves ahead to start the second quarter, with the lead opening up to three points with 3:50 in the half. But a pair of free throws and a fast break layup from
Giana Hoddinott gave the Mount their first lead of the quarter. Hoddinott and Lindsey would combine for two three-pointers inside the last minute and a half while the redshirt junior from Littlestown, Pennsylvania would nail her final two free throws, sending the Mount into the half up 29-24.
Bullard started the offense in the third with a driving layup into the paint, increasing the Mountaineer to seven inside the first twenty seconds of the quarter. A jump-shot from Niagara's jade Rutledge with 8:33 on the clock was cancelled out thirty seconds later, as Hoddinott once again converted from the three-point mark. From then on, the Mountaineers and the Purple Eagles traded shots, with no team establishing a good rhythm. Heading into the final intermission, the Mount found themselves with a narrow 42-39 lead, with Niagara edging the Mount 15-14 in the third.
The visitors continued to nip at the heels of the Mountaineers to start the fourth, holding the deficit to one point with seven minutes remaining. But with back-to-back and-one's from both Jamison and Lindsey; the Mountaineers reestablished a hold on the game. The energy of the Mountaineers finally swung as they opened up a 13-point lead with two minutes left, capped off by a knock-down jumper from Powell and a three-pointer from Jamison. From then on, the Mountaineers held on comfortably, rounding out their second win in a row and a double against the Buffalo team's at home.
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers travel next to Hamden, Connecticut on Thursday, January 22 facing off against Quinnipiac in the conference return game at 6:00 p.m.
