(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – The Wilson women's basketball team closed out the calendar year on a positive note as it defeated visiting Mount Aloysius on Friday evening. The Phoenix defense did well to inundate the Mounties and forced a majority of their 32 turnovers.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 60, Mount Aloysius 56
Venue: Gannett Field House
Records: Wilson 5-4, Mount Aloysius 0-9
How It Happened
- A scrappy first quarter saw the Mounties take a 10-8 lead, but the Phoenix caught fire and pushed ahead with a strong second quarter. A steal by Samira Murphy (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va. / Great Bridge Christian) put Wilson on the fast break and Yaya Cannon (Sr., Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic) converted on the opposite end to tie the game at 14-all. Adrianna Stricek (Fy., Harrisburg, Pa. / Trinity) followed up with a pair of buckets in the midst of a small 7-0 run that put the Phoenix up 19-14 with 6:37 to go in the half.
- The Mounties didn't yield quietly and slowly chipped away at the deficit until a Karissa Mercier jumper tied the game at 28-all with 36 seconds left in the half. Cannon eventually sank a pair of free throws seconds later to send Wilson into the locker room with the advantage on the scoreboard.
- In the third quarter Naomi Hanton (Sr., Bristow, Va. / Patriot) provided a spark as she hit three buckets in an 8-0 run that put the Phoenix up by double-digits for the first time in the game. A Hanton layup later in the frame gave Wilson its largest lead of the night at 46-34 with 1:43 to go in the third.
- Once again, however, the Mounties rallied a charge. Consecutive 3-pointers to start the fourth put the visitors within five. Multiple times throughout the fourth they would cut Wilson's lead down to two points, but that was the closest they could get.
Inside The Numbers
- Hanton finished with 16 points off the bench for game-high honors. She was 8-for-12 overall from the field.
- Bry Hicks (So., Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic) and Cannon both joined her in double figures with 13 points each. Cannon finished 4-of-8 from the field and 5-for-6 at the charity stripe while Hicks was 5-for-12 with three free throws.
- Wilson shot 64.3% during the pivotal second quarter in which it took the lead. The Phoenix were 9-for-14 in the frame.
- Transition offense was a key element for the Phoenix as they were quick to flip the court and outscored the Mounties 18-2 in fast break points.
- Turnovers also led to points for both teams. Wilson scored 22 points on Mount Aloysius miscues while the Mounties scored 17 points on Phoenix errors.
- Wilson dominated inside by outscoring the Mounties 32-20 in the paint. Wilson's bench also gave the home team a boost as the Phoenix outscored the Mounties' bench 38-14.
Up Next
Wilson will head into the winter break above .500 and gear up for a return to CSAC competition upon returning to campus. First up will be a trip to Cedar Crest on Tuesday, January 3, for a 6 p.m. tip-off.
