TEANECK, N.J. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team rallied in the second half to earn a hard-fought 75-63 road win over FDU on Thursday night to improve to 11-1 in the Northeast Conference (NEC).

Ny'Ceara Pryor led the way for the Pios with a near triple-double on 22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and five steals. The Baltimore, Md., native has crossed 20 points in three straight games and tallied her third double-double of the season. 

Kelsey Wood finished next on the team with season-highs of 15 points and nine rebounds in 20 big minutes off the bench. Sajada Bonner ended the night with 13 points after hitting four 3-pointers, while Nalyce Dudley was SHU's final double-digit scorer with 11. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 17-9, 11-1 NEC
FDU: 10-15, 8-4 NEC

Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 22 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals
Kelsey Wood: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist
Sajada Bonner: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 3-pointers

How It Happened:
The Pioneers stormed out to an early 10-2 lead over the first 2:37 after solid play on both ends from Pryor. The sophomore guard scored four points in the run, two coming off a steal and a layup. SHU went up by as much as 10, 17-7, following a Pryor and-one at 3:40 in the frame, but the Knights ended the quarter on a 7-2 run to cut SHU's advantage to 19-14 heading to the second. 

FDU rode that momentum to an 11-2 surge at the start of the second to take the lead, 25-21. The Pios kept the game close heading into halftime, fighting back to tie the score at 35-35 with 11 seconds left before a pair of free throws gave the Knights a 37-35 advantage at the break. 

The second half started with back-and-forth play, as the Pioneers took a 38-37 advantage 1:36 into the third. The lead changed hands multiple times until a Pryor and-one with 1:19 left in the quarter put Sacred Heart up 52-45. From that point, SHU would not give up the advantage, as it continued to grow in the fourth quarter. 

Following a pair of 3-pointers hit by Bonner over a two-minute stretch in the fourth, the Pioneers led by 10, 63-53, and cruised to victory. SHU's lead grew to as high as 14 on two occasions, ultimately taking a 75-63 road win. 

The Wood sisters helped the Pioneers pull away in the second half, scoring a team-best eight points. Kelsey added four rebounds, while Amelia Wood recorded three. Bonner's two triples were also crucial, as she tallied seven of her 13 points in the second half. 

Up Next:
SHU remains on the road for its next game, heading to CCSU for a 1 p.m. clash on Saturday, Feb. 24, in New Britain, Conn.