Women’s Basketball Downs Gordon on Senior Day, 65-50

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's basketball captured a 65-50 victory over Gordon in the final regular season game Saturday afternoon at the Lahue Physical Education Center.

Prior to the start of the contest, the Eastern Nazarene College women's basketball program honored its two seniors: Tina Corey (Canterbury, Conn.) and Mhiah Vickers (Westlake Village, Calif.).

The Lions conclude the regular season with a 12-13 overall record and a 10-8 mark in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Fighting Scots end the year with a record of 3-22 and a league mark of 1-17.

With the win, Eastern Nazarene earned the No. 5 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament and will hit the road to take on fourth-seeded Western New England February 24 in the quarterfinal round.

Vickers led the home side with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and four blocks. Elia Salazar (Los Angeles, Calif.) finished with 12 points and four boards. Courtney Houston (Santa Barbara, Calif.) chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds off the bench. Nicole Greer (Odenton, Md.) notched nine points and seven boards.

The Lions bolted out to a 10-0 lead 4:25 into the game, capped off by a jumper from Salazar.

Gordon cut the deficit to two points with seven minutes remaining in the period as Kristen Smith completed a three-point play at the free throw line, 19-17.

The hosts chalked up the final eight points of the first half. After Vickers knocked down her first trey of the game, Houston stole the visitors' inbound pass and tossed in a layup before sinking the and-one free throw to extend the margin to 13 points with eight seconds on the clock, 39-26.

Vickers paced the Lions at the intermission with 10 points while Houston added eight. Greer and Salazar each tallied six first-half points.

Eastern Nazarene sported a field-goal percentage of 51.5% in the opening frame to go with 50% shooting from long distance. Gordon connected on 35.5% of its shot attempts in the first half and missed all three chances from the perimeter.

The Lions stretched their advantage to 17 on a lay-in by Salazar with 14:54 left to play, 47-30.

Eastern Nazarene maintained its double-digit lead throughout the second half, en route to its sixth win in seven games.

The Lions posted a field-goal percentage of 45.6% on the afternoon while draining 5-of-12 three-point attempts. The Fighting Scots shot 30.2% from the floor and just 16.7% from beyond the arc.

Brooke Kratche led Gordon with 17 points and nine rebounds. Smith scored 11 points and Sophine Linnell recorded 10 points for the guests.