FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team started its Northeast Conference (NEC) title defense on the right foot Saturday, handing Merrimack a 65-51 loss at the William H Pitt Center in the two teams' league opener. 

Ny'Ceara Pryor led all scorers with 20 points, her sixth 20-point outing of the season. Sierra Johnson was next on the team with 15 points, while Nalyce Dudley came close to posting a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 7-8, 1-0 NEC
Merrimack: 3-11, 0-1 NEC
 
Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 20 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Sierra Johnson: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steal
Nalyce Dudley: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals

How It Happened:
The Pioneers opened this afternoon's game with suffocating defense, holding the Warriors scoreless over the first 7:54. In that time, SHU built a 14-0 lead, getting seven points from Johnson and five from Pryor. Sacred Heart held Merrimack to just four points in the opening stanza, taking an 18-4 lead into the second. 

Merrimack began to get its footing in the second quarter, cutting the margin to nine, 22-13, 2:51 into the frame. SHU answered by going on a 4-0 run before the Warriors responded with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the margin to 26-19 with 5:33 left. Both defenses took over from there, as the deficit stayed at seven, 30-23, heading into the halftime break. 

Coming out of the break, the Pioneers quickly rebuilt their double-digit advantage, leading by 13, 43-30, 5:13 into the third following a 7-0 run. Pryor followed a Sajada Bonner triple with two consecutive layups to spark the surge. The Pios led by as much as 14 in the frame, 52-38, but a triple by Merrimack's Jayme DeCesare with 22 seconds left in the frame sent SHU into the fourth up 52-41. 

The Pioneers held onto their double-digit advantage for the remainder of the contest, keeping the Warriors out of reach in the fourth. An Olivia Tucker dagger 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining sealed the NEC-opening win for SHU. 

Sacred Heart's defensive effort was key to its win this afternoon. The Pioneers forced a season-best 32 turnovers against the Warriors, the first time SHU has forced 30+ turnovers since Feb. 9 of last season against Saint Francis. In total, seven Pioneers tallied multiple steals, led by Amelia Wood with a career-best tying four. 

Up Next:
Sacred Heart will be right back in action on Monday, Jan. 8, with a 7 p.m. road tilt at Saint Francis in Loretto, Pa.