Pacers Get Retribution with 72-52 Win over Neumann
Alyssa Olson poured on a career-best 25 points to lift the Pacers

Pacers Get Retribution with 72-52 Win over Neumann

Women's Basketball - 12/3/2016 6:51:00 PM

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Aston, Pa. – Marywood University avenged last year's Colonial States Athletic Conference women's basketball semifinal loss with a 72-52 victory over Neumann University Saturday on the road. The Pacers blew open a three-point lead at halftime by outscoring the Knights by a 42-25 margin in the second half.

Alyssa Olson scored a career-best 25 points. She made 10 of 12 shots and hit all five free throw attempts to best her previous high of 14 points.

Gab Giordano posted her second double-double of the year with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Both Natasha Hessling and Kylie Devlin contributed 12 points. Erika Thomas totaled eight rebounds.

Neumann spoiled the Pacers' CSAC title hopes last season when it upset the top-ranked Pacers 63-58 in the Insalaco Arena. The away team has won the past four meetings. 

The Pacers (4-3, 1-1 CSAC) trailed by as many as eight points and, excluding the first basket of the game, did not lead until Devlin hit a 3-pointer with 2:09 left in the second quarter. Marywood finished the first half on a 13-5 run over the last 4:23 and took a 30-27 lead into halftime on a Jordan Barth jumper.

Neumann's AAliya Hayes had success again against the Pacers with 28 points and 16 rebounds. In her career on Keystone and Neumann, Hayes averages nearly a double-double — 15.5 points, 9.8 rebounds — in six games against Marywood.  

Nafisa Saunders totaled 11 points for the Knights.

Marywood doubled the Neumann in shooting percentage. Neumann shot a paltry 25.4 percent from the field, and the Pacers had their best field goal percentage of the season by making 51.9 percent of their attempts.

Marywood's run stretched to 13 points in the start of the second half. The Pacers held Neumann scoreless for a 6:08 stretch.

The Pacers scored nine unanswered points in less than two minutes to grow their lead to 58-38 on a Giordano layup with 8:55 remaining in the contest.

Neumann struggled from long distance, connecting on only 3 of 21 shots for 14.3 percent. Marywood outrebounded the Knights by a 42-40 margin.

Marywood will hit the books for the next 11 days until it returns from Finals Week with a date against No. 5 Scranton on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the Insalaco Arena. The Pacers' cross-city rival defeated Neumann by five points on Wednesday. 
 
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