Lyons improve to 4-0 in NEWMAC play

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

NORTON, Mass.  – Wheaton College junior forward Abbie Brickley (Sandy, Utah/Skyline) registered her first double-double of the season with a game-high 20 points and 12 rebounds to guide the Lyons to a 77-52 triumph over Emerson College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Wednesday night at Emerson Gymnasium.

Brickley went 8-for-17 (47.1-percent) from the floor and 4-for-6 at the free throw line for her first double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Rebecca Arnone (Litchfield, N.H./Campbell) poured in 16 points and dished out four assists, while sophomore forward Kiley Shoemaker (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) compiled 12 points, seven boards, two blocks and three steals.

Junior guard Kirsten Ferrari (Lynn, Mass./Saint Mary's) had eight points, grabbed four caroms and handed out three assists. Sophomore forward Emily Romans (Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) chipped in with six points and five rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.

Emerson junior forward Kristin Brice (Indiana, Penn./Indiana Area Senior) tallied 15 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. Classmate Catherine Cloutier (Methuen, Mass./Londonderry) collected eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one block and sophomore forward Kelsey Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) notched seven points, nine rebounds, three blocks and one steal.

Wheaton held a 54-39 differential on the boards including a 21-16 margin on the offensive glass. The Lyons outscored their opposition 38-24 in the paint and 12-2 on the fastbreak. Wheaton also handed out 20 or more assists for the third time this season as nine student-athletes dished out at least one helper in the contest. The Lyons entered the contest ranked 19th overall among all NCAA Division III women's basketball programs in assists per game (19.2), while junior guard Laura Pierce (Hampstead, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) checked in at sixth overall among all student-athletes in assists per game (7.0). Pierce tied Arnone for the game-high in assists with four on the night.

The Blue and White never trailed in the game opening up a 21-8 lead through 8:26 of play. Brickley paced the offense with 11 points during the run and Shoemaker contributed six points to highlight the scoring. Wheaton went into the break with a 47-29 advantage shooting 47.4-percent (18-for-38) from the field and 81.8-percent (9-for-11) at the line. Overall in the game, the Lyons posted a 21-11 differential in second chance points including a 15-5 margin in the first half alone.

Wheaton pushed the gap to as many as 28 points with 2:18 remaining in the second half on a layup by freshman guard Sophie Black (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester).

The Lyons (6-0, 4-0 NEWMAC) takes on Clark University in a conference matchup this Saturday on the road at 1 p.m. Emerson (3-3, 1-2 NEWMAC) visits Springfield for a NEWMAC contest on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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