Mary Louise Dixon led the Skyhawks with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists on Saturday. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Skyhawks hold Lions under 25-percent shooting to open second half with win

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (December 29, 2012) – Stonehill College closed out the 2012 calendar year on a winning note with a 69-51 victory over Georgian Court University in non-conference women's basketball action at the Wellness Center this afternoon.

Juniors Mary Louise Dixon (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) and Asia Ewing (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) led a balanced offensive effort for Stonehill by combining for 29 points on the afternoon. Dixon made 4-of-9 shots from the field, including 2-for-4 from three-point range, to finish with a team-high 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Ewing posted 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and converted 2-of-3 free-throws with four rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot.

Freshman Paige Marshall (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) added ten points on 2-of-3 shooting while converting 6-of-8 free-throws with five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore Tori Faieta (Lynn, Mass./Saint Mary's) capped the double-figure scorers for Stonehill with ten points on 5-of-7 shooting, two rebounds, an assist, blocked shot and steal.

Stonehill finished shooting 40.7-percent (24-for-59) from the field, including 46.4% (13-28) in the first half to open a 19 point lead (37-18) by halftime. Georgian Court was held to 24.6-percent (16-65) shooting, including 5-for-25 (20%) in the first half, and made just 1-of-6 (16.7%) three-pointers, but converted 81.8% (18-22) free-throw attempts. The Lions finished with a 47-40 rebounding advantage, pulling in 21 offensive boards, and outscored the Skyhawks 16-13 in points off turnovers despite committing four more than the visitors.

Junior Asia Ewing added 14 points, four rebounds and three assists. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Senior Shauneia McPhearson (Chicago, Ill./Holy Trinity) led Georgian Court with a game-high 16 points off the bench to go with three rebounds. Junior Elizabeth Lawler (Forked River, N.J./Ocean County College) posted a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds as she made 6-of-10 shots from the field, while senior Ebony Sellers (Camden, N.J./Woodrow Wilson) posted eight points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Sophomore Tahira Matthews (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) chipped in with 15 rebounds (six offensive) off the bench.

The game was tied (15-15) midway through the first half before Stonehill assumed control with a 22-3 run the rest of the half. The Skyhawks started the run with six straight points, sparked by a three-pointer from sophomore Amy Pelletier (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) with 8:13 remaining. Sellers answered with a jumper on the Lions next possession, but the Skyhawks reeled off the next 11 points to push their lead into double-figures (32-17) after a Marshall layup 3:12 before the break.

Stonehill extended its lead to 22 points (41-19) after a Marshall put back four minutes into the second half. Georgian Court cut the lead to 16 (45-29) after a layup by junior Jasmine Cobbs (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont) with 12:37 remaining and worked the deficit to 13 (51-38) after two Sellers free-throws with 6:09 on the clock.

Stonehill held and regained its 22 point lead (62-40) with 3:19 remaining after back-to-back Faieta baskets to clinch the win. Pelletier helped spark the clinching run with a three-pointer.

Stonehill (9-1, 5-1 NE-10) is back in action next Saturday when it returns to Northeast-10 Conference play with a visit to Merrimack College at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks next home game isn't for another two weeks when it hosts The College of Saint Rose on Saturday, January 12, at 1:30 p.m. Georgian Court (3-9, 3-4 CACC) travels to Felician College next Saturday for a Conference game at 1 p.m.

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