Hayward buried four three-pointers on her way to a career-high 18 points today, scoring in double-figures for the second-straight game (PHOTO BY Chris Kohley)

Hayward and Martin post career-highs for Skyhawks

NIAGARA, N.Y. (November 19, 2023) – Niagara University placed four in double-figures to slip past Stonehill College for a 72-69 decision in a non-conference women's basketball matchup at Gallagher Center this afternoon.

Freshman Kylie Buckley came off the bench to sink 7-of-10 shots from the floor to lead Niagara's four in double-figures with 15 points, while adding five rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal in 19 minutes. Sophomore Amelia Strong added 13 points, aided by 7-for-10 shooting from the free-throw line with five rebounds (four offensive) and two steals, while senior Saige Glover contributed ten points on 5-of-7 shooting with eight rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Ary Hicks chipped in 11 points, three boards and two assists off the Purple Eagles bench.

Junior Sharn Hayward netted a career-high for the second-straight game with a game-high 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point distance, four rebounds and two assists. Sophomore Paige Martin contributed a career-high 12 points, with seven rebounds, while senior Jada Thornton reached double-figures for the fifth time in six games with 14 points, four boards and two assists. Junior Maureen Stapleton hauled in a career-best 14 rebounds and dished out a career-high seven assists to go with four points.

Stonehill scored the last seven points of the first quarter to trim an early ten-point deficit to three (22-19) after four-straight points from postgrad Anna Boruta, who finished with eight points, four assists and three steals. Hayward's first of three second quarter three-pointers put Stonehill in the lead (24-22) two minutes into the frame and the Skyhawks extended their run to 14-0 with a Martin jumper in the paint for a four-point lead (26-22) with 7:25 to play in the half.

Martin scored in double-figures for the first time in her career with a career-best 12 points with seven rebounds (PHOTO BY Chris Kohley)

Niagara followed with four-straight to reclaim the lead (28-26) and the teams traded baskets until Buckley gave the Purple Eagles a four-point advantage (34-30) with 2:48 left. The Skyhawks finished the quarter strong again, with Hayward following a layup inside by freshman Catelyn Wheeler with back-to-back threes in the final minute of the half to send Stonehill into halftime with a four-point lead (38-34).

Niagara scored the first six points of the second half over the first four minutes of the third to push back in front (40-38) after a putback from Strong off a turnover. Thornton scored a hoop and a harm, missing the free-throw, but Stapleton collected the rebound and scored to reverse the Stonehill deficit and then Martin and Boruta extended the Skyhawks lead to five (47-42) with 1:24 left in the third.

After Niagara pulled within a point (52-51) with a Buckley layup off a turnover with 24-seconds remaining in the third, Stonehill wrapped a 6-0 spurt around the quarter break to open a game-high seven-point lead (58-51) after a Hayward triple 33-seconds into the fourth. The Skyhawks lead was still six (59-53) with eight minutes to play, when Niagara scored nine straight to regain the lead (62-59) after a three-pointer by postgrad Destiny Strother with 3:51 remaining.

Thornton reclaimed the lead (63-62) for Stonehill with a jumper off a field goal with three minutes left, but layups by Hicks and Buckley handed Niagara a three-point edge (66-63) with 70-seconds to play. Stonehill closed back within a point three times in the final minute but could not push back in front as the Purple Eagles made five of their next six free-throws to maintain their edge. The Skyhawks had one last bid after Niagara missed a pair with four-seconds left, but Thornton's half court heave was off the mark at the buzzer.

Noteworthy

• Hayward matched or exceeded her career-high in scoring for the second-straight game after matching her career-best at Buffalo on Friday with back-to-back double-figure scoring games for the first time in her career.
• Stapleton collected double-digit rebounds for the second-straight game with her career-high total today – leading the Skyhawks in rebounding for the fifth time in six games this year.
• Stonehill made 7-of-11 shots (63.6-percent) in the second quarter, including 3-of-4 three-pointers – all three triples coming from Hayward.
• Stonehill outrebounded Niagara 38-34 and finished with a higher shooting percentage (39.7-percent) than its opponent for the first time this season.
• This afternoon marks the first meeting all-time between the two programs, with Stonehill slipping to 0-2 all-time against members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
• Stonehill has lost its first six games for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.

Up Next
Stonehill (0-6, 0-0 NEC) returns to action after the Thanksgiving holiday when it hosts Utah Tech University at Merkert Gymnasium next Saturday, November 25, at 2 p.m. Niagara (2-2, 0-0 MAAC) opens the Cayman Islands Classic on Friday against defending National Champions and No. 5-ranked Louisiana State University at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets for Stonehill men's and women's basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets. Season ticket packages are available for both teams now, in addition to single-game tickets.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.