BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Ashley Coneys, Alicia Brown, and Kristie McNall combined for 58 points to lead the University of New England women's basketball team to a 79-68 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) triumph over Endicott College on Tuesday evening (Dec. 6) at the Harold Alfond Forum.
With the win the Nor'easters improved to 6-2 overall and remain unbeaten in conference play with a 3-0 mark. The Gulls dropped to 3-4 overall and suffered their first CCC setback (2-1). UNE is now a perfect 50-0 versus CCC competition at the Harold Alfond Forum since the facility opened in 2012.
Both Coneys and McNall established career highs with 24 and 16 points, respectively. Coneys was 8-for-13 from the floor and 7-for-10 at the free throw line while grabbing seven boards. McNall nailed all four of her three-point attempts and was 6-for-7 from the field overall.
Brown also had a big game for the Nor'easters, tallying 18 points and collaring 13 boards to record a double-double. She blocked a pair of shots.
All five Endicott starters scored in double figures. Hannah Shaw and Emily Pratt each scored 13 points, while Sarah Hood, Gabriella Coppola and Hannah Kiernan tossed in 12 apiece. Hood was a huge game clearing the backboards, totaling 20 caroms to lead all players. Shaw added six rebounds and three assists.
The Nor'easters, who never trailed in the contest, led 22-15 after one quarter thanks in large part to McNall, who came off the bench to drain three treys for nine points.
Endicott was able to whittle its deficit to three (33-30) at intermission as Pratt had seven points in the frame.
Coppolla pulled the Gulls to within one (33-32) with a layup to start off the third quarter, but UNE would go on an 8-0 run over a span of 1:39 to take control. Sadie Nelson had five points to fuel the spurt, including a three-ball to cap it.
Endicott would get no closer than five the rest of the evening.
Coneys poured in 18 points after intermission for UNE, which shot 50 percent (17 of 34) from the floor in the second half. Brown added nine points over the final two quarters.
Both teams were efficient with the basketball, accounting for a total of just 16 turnovers for the evening (6 for UNE, 10 for Endicott).
Next up for Endicott is a 7:30 p.m. home game versus No. 14 Bowdoin College on Thursday. The Nor'easters will host the nation's top-ranked team and last season's national runner-up, Tufts University, Saturday at 1 p.m at the Harold Alfond Forum.