Women’s Basketball Fends Off Gordon, Prevails 61-51

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene women's basketball team claimed its second league victory of the 2012-13 campaign Saturday afternoon, topping Gordon 61-51 at the Lahue Physical Education Center. The win elevates the Lions to 6-3 on the year and 2-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The result pushes the Fighting Scots to 2-9 overall and 0-4 in conference play.

Mel Green (Annapolis, Md.) paced the home side with 18 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Shardae Brown (Waterbury, Conn.) registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Presley Neufeld (Seattle, Wash.) racked up 11 points and three assists. Ace Carradine (Honolulu, Hawaii) distributed a team-best four assists for the Lions.

The Lions nabbed an early 5-0 advantage but the visitors battled back to capture an 8-7 lead as Skylar Bareford nailed a trey.

After falling behind 17-10, Eastern Nazarene went on a 26-10 run in the final 13 minutes of the first half. The hosts reclaimed the lead, 22-20, with 7:21 remaining in the period on a four-point play by Neufeld.

The Lions controlled a nine-point advantage at the break, leading 36-27.

Green led all scorers at the half with 14 points off the bench on 4-for-4 shooting from long distance while adding six rebounds. Grays chipped in with six points while Brown hauled in five boards.

Eastern Nazarene shot 48.3% from the field in the opening frame, including a scorching 70% from beyond the arc. Gordon was held to 37.0% shooting in the first half and 40.0% from three-point range.

The Lions stretched the gap to 22 with 7:46 left to play in the contest, 57-35, as Green corralled an offensive board and quickly banked in a lay-up.

Gordon rallied late in the game to draw to within 10 points of knotting the score but Brooke Kratche's midrange jumper capped off the scoring for the afternoon.

Eastern Nazarene wrapped up the victory with a field-goal percentage of 42.9% while the Fighting Scots connected on 36.4% from the floor on the day.

The Lions held a 42-31 advantage on the glass, including a 30-22 gap in defensive rebounds.

Eastern Nazarene returns to the court January 8 for a conference bout against Salve Regina at home.