DUDLEY, Mass. (11/21/23) – A strong response in the second half made all the difference for the Nichols College women's basketball team, who earned a come-from-behind 83-78 victory over non-conference opponent Eastern Nazarene College on Tuesday night at the Nichols Athletic Center.

The Bison improve to 3-1 with the win, while Eastern Nazarene drops to 4-2 with the loss.

Graduate guard Kiera Fernandes paced the Bison on both ends of the court, contributing a team season-high 22 points and nine steals through 23 minutes of action. Sophomore guard Adriana Romano fired in 18 points with four assists, while graduate Leandra Ortiz posted a season-high 14 points. To complete the double-figure scoring, junior Alyvia Smith chipped in 10 points for the Bison, who shot 35.3% (30-of-85) from the floor as a team.

Following a sluggish opening 10-minutes of action for both sides, Eastern Nazarene held a 13-9 lead. However, things quickly started heating up in the second frame, as the Lions expanded their lead to 19-9 through the first three minutes. At 6:55, a fast-break three pointer by Alyvia Smith commenced an 8-0 run for the Bison, helping the hosts to pull to within two points. The remaining five minutes off the half saw the Lions pull back ahead slightly, resulting in a 32-25 visitor lead at the half.

Out of the halftime break, the Bison went on a mission. Over a 5:30 span, Nichols outscored the Lions by a 14-2 margin with eight points belonging to Kiera Fernandes, propelling the Bison into the lead at 39-34. Eastern Nazarene would battle back to regain the lead at 45-43, but again fell behind on a response three by Leandra Ortiz. With the score locking up on one more occasion, the Bison held onto the lead the rest of the way, carrying a 51-49 edge into the fourth.

Nichols exploded offensively to open the final quarter with a 13-0 run in less than two minutes of action, bringing the score to 64-49. However, the Lions simply would not go away, as the pulled back from behind to tie the game at 75-75 with 1:39 left to play. A final made jumper by Adriana Romano returned the lead to the Bison, who then emerged victorious with multiple trips to the free throw line.

The Bison, who presently rank atop the NCAA Division III leader boards in steals per game (27.0), forced an astonishing 55 turnovers against the Lions, which yielded 27 points in the effort.

Women's hoops will enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to action on Tuesday, November 28^th at the University of Hartford. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 at Chase Family Arena.