NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The surging Southern Connecticut women's basketball team picked up its fifth-straight and a crucial Northeast-10 Conference victory with a 56-51 triumph against Southern New Hampshire at James Moore Field House. With the win, Southern improved to 16-10 overall and 13-7 in the NE10 while SNHU dropped to 17-7 overall and 15-5 in conference play. Prior to the start of the game, Southern Connecticut honored Vienna Knox, Makenzie Helms, Ashley Evans and Julianna Bonilla for Senior Night.
Makenzie Helms led all scorers with 22 points as well as eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. Helms converted on 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Katie Williamson had 14 points and seven rebounds while Hope Fox tallied five points, a team-high eight rebounds, with three assists and two steals. Rheyna Steinauer factored in with six points and six rebounds with two blocks off the bench.
The Owls held Southern New Hampshire to 2-for-13 shooting in the first quarter as they pulled to a 15-9 lead at the first break, with Williamson (6) and Fox (5) combining to outscore the Penmen in the first frame, 11-9.
Southern New Hampshire came storming back. After trailing 13-7 in the closing minutes of the first quarter, the Penmen went on a 13-4 run that gave them a 20-17 lead with 6:33 to go in the first half. In the remaining time of the half, Helms bucketed eight points to send the game into the break with SNHU leading, 26-25.
Coming out of the half, SNHU outscored the Owls, 18-7, to take a 44-34 lead with 1:56 to go in the third quarter. Julianna Bonilla scored the Owls' last five points of the third quarter, including a three at the buzzer that cut SNHU's lead to seven points, 46-39. Southern responded with another dominant fourth quarter that saw the Owls' hold the Penmen to five points while putting another 17 on the board to complete the comeback. Down the stretch, Helms poured in 10 more points to lead the way as the Owls closed out the home win.
Over the Owls' last three wins – against New Haven, Saint Michael's and Southern New Hampshire – the Owls have outscored their three opponents, 54-13, in the fourth quarter while holding all three to single-digit points.
Southern is set for a clash on Saturday, Feb. 24 when it travels to Rindge, N.H. to take on Franklin Pierce at 1:30 p.m. Both teams will meet while riding five-game win streaks, while the Owls (13-7) lead the Ravens (11-9) by two games in the conference standings with the NE10 Championship Tournament set to commence on Friday, Mar. 1. The Owls can't finish lower than seventh place in the conference standings and will host a First Round game at James Moore Field House.
Gallery: (2-21-2024) SCSU WBB 2023-24 Senior Night
