DUDLEY, Mass. – Freshman Allison Cerrato (Rockland, Mass.) tied her career high with 11 rebounds in Nichols College's 55-50 loss to Eastern Nazarene Tuesday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball action at the Nichols Athletic Center.
Senior captain Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Mass.) led the Bison (6-18, 3-14 CCC) in scoring with 17 points while freshman Brooke Packard (Dudley, Mass.) netted 11 points and senior captain Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) scored 10 points.
Junior Elia Salazar (Los Angeles, Calif.) recorded a double-double with a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds for ENC. Senior Mhiah Vickers (Westlake Village, Calif.) also notched a double-double as she filled the stat sheet with 14 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks, four steals, and three assists. With the win, the Lions move to 11-12 on the season and 9-7 in the conference.
Nichols struggled from the field, shooting just 29 percent (21-of-71), and was outrebounded 49-39. Eastern Nazarene sank 39 percent of its shots (21-of-54) and overcame 22 turnovers and 55 percent shooting from the free throw line (11-of-20) to get the win.
The first eight minutes of the contest features five ties before the Lions ripped off a 17-3 run to move in front, 27-13. Vickers, Salazar, and junior Nicole Greer (Odenton, Md.) each scored four points during the run. A quick 6-0 run by Nichols late in the half helped trim its deficit to 10 at halftime (29-19). Vickers and Salazar each had eight for ENC while Packard led Nichols with seven.
Nichols got to within three points of the Lions seven times in the second half – including one-point (49-48) with 3:00 on the clock – but could not get over the hump. Wegrzynek made a layup with 7:19 to go that made it 44-42, but the Lions rebounded to regain a five-point lead at 4:15.
The Bison answered with a basket from Packard, followed by a Litwinko steal which led to a fast-break layup by junior Jessica Kelliher (Marshfield, Mass.) to make it 49-48 at 4:00.
A pair of free throws from Salazar gave ENC a five-point lead at 1:47, and after two from the charity stripe at the other end from Litwinko, Nichols forced a turnover and called a timeout down three. Packard missed a three from the top of the key that would have tied the game, and Salazar sealed the win with two more free throws.
Litwinko finished with team-high's in both steals (four) and assists (four). Nichols missed all nine attempts from downtown.
The Bison and Leopards play Saturday at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Lions host Western New England Saturday at 3:00 p.m.