Women’s Basketball Posts First CCC Victory, Downs Gordon 65-53

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene women's basketball team notched its first conference win of the season, topping Gordon 65-53 Saturday afternoon at the Lahue Physical Education Center.

The win elevates the Lions to 5-10 overall and 1-7 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Fighting Scots slip to 5-10 on the year and 1-7 in league games with the loss.

Ruby Leon (Fairfield, Calif.) paced all scorers with 22 points on the day while adding nine rebounds and four assists. Nicole Greer (Odenton, Md.), Jasmine Johnson (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Christina Saint-Pierre (Lantana, Fla.) all finished with 10 points in the win. Krystal Holl (Hagerstown, Md.) recorded nine rebounds and four points while Michelle Herrera (Santa Barbara, Calif.) tallied four points and five boards.

The opening minutes of the game were closely contested before Eastern Nazarene established a 17-point gap with 3:16 remaining in the half.

Eastern Nazarene sported a 15-point lead at halftime, a 35-20 margin.

Leon led the Lions with 16 first-half points and nine rebounds. Saint-Pierre registered seven points in the opening 20 minutes of play.

The home side shot 46.9% from the floor in the first frame and 33.3% from three-point range. The visitors were limited to 25% shooting in the opening period, including 1-for-6 from behind the arc.

Gordon trimmed the deficit to four with 3:28 left to play, 54-50, as Olivia Vetere sank a lay-up.

Eastern Nazarene netted its final seven points of the game from the charity stripe to snap a five-game skid.

The Lions connected on 37.9% of their field-goal attempts in the contest, including 4-of-13 from beyond the arc. The Fighting Scots were held to 29.6% shooting on the day and just 16.7% from long distance.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene hits the road for a conference tilt at Nichols January 21.