FAIRFIELD, Conn.— The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team punched its ticket to the Northeast Conference Championship Game with a 68-61 victory over Merrimack on Thursday at the Pitt Center. The Pioneers return to the championship for the first time since 2016.
 
Records:
Sacred Heart: 17-13, 12-4 NEC
Merrimack: 15-16, 10-6 NEC
 
Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 22 pts, 11 rebs, 7 asts
Amelia Wood: 15 pts, 3 rebs
 
Of Note
The first quarter went through five lead changes, with Merrimack taking the 14-12 edge at the end.
 
Sacred Heart made adjustments in the second quarter as it outscored its opponent 17-7 while holding them to just two made field goals. The Pioneers scored eight points to cut the deficit one at the 5:55 mark.
 
First year Ny'Ceara Pryor got a steal and dished off to first year Amelia Wood for the layup. The Baltimore, Md. native later posted back-to-back baskets to give SHU a 26-19 cushion.
 
The Pioneers increased the lead to 14 through the third quarter before the Warriors went on a 12-7 run to bring the deficit back within nine with 11 seconds left, 49-40, in the third.
 
In the fourth quarter, Pryor tallied SHU's first six points while Amelia canned her third basket from behind the arc to extend the lead to 58-46.
 
The Warriors made it a seven-point game with a three-pointer and two free-throws, but senior Carly Stroemel stepped up and notched back-to-back buckets.

The Pioneers posted 18 points off 20 turnovers by the visitors. 
 
Pryor had a big night recording her 14^th 20+ point performance with 22 while adding 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double. Amelia matched her season-high 15 points and three triples made.
 
Quote
"The game changer was going to be pushing transition, and that's what it was," said Pryor. "We played our game, and we played team defense."
 
Up Next
SHU travels to Hackensack to face #1 FDU in the NEC Championship on Sunday at 12 p.m.