Women's Basketball Knocks Off Salem State, 72-64

BEVERLY, Mass. — The Endicott women's basketball team defeated Salem State, 72-64, in Saturday afternoon's non-conference action at MacDonald Gymnasium.

Libby Fleming (Bangor, Maine) and Cora Nadeau (Newport, Vt.) led the way offensively with 17 apiece. Fleming shot 8-14 on the day with seven rebounds and five blocks, while Nadeau was 6-13 from the field and 5-8 from deep.

Emma Shinney (Wakefield, Mass.) stuffed the statline per usual. She posted 15 points (5-13 FG, 1-3 3PT, 4-5 FT) along with her seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Sarah Dempsey (Windham, N.H.) rounded out the double-digit scorers. The senior picked up 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal in her 38 minutes of play.

The two teams traded baskets early and often in the first quarter. The Gulls captured a late 14-11 lead at the end of the quarter thanks to back-to-back buckets from Katelyn Konareski (Milford, Conn.) and Dempsey.

The Vikings reclaimed a 19-17 advantage after they opened up the second half on an 8-3 run, but the Gulls responded with an 8-0 run of their own (6:25-4:58) highlighted by triples from Nadeau and Tenley Wallin (Danbury, Conn.).

The Blue and Green headed into half with an eight point advantage (37-29) after Shinney drilled a three-pointer off of Konareski's feed just five seconds prior to the buzzer sounding.

In the second half, the Gulls held a steady lead over the Vikings throughout. 

They pushed it to a game-high 16-point advantage thanks to an 8-2 spurt between the 5:37 and 1:28 marks of the third quarter, sparked by a couple of Nadeau triples. 

In the fourth, the Vikings were able to inch their way back, even making it a two possession contest with 3:24 remaining (62-58).

However, Shinney, Dempsey and Fleming wrapped up an Endicott victory with a 10-6 spurt in the final three minutes of play, closing out the contest by a 72-64 score.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The current five-game winning streak is the longest since 1/13/24.
• Nadeau's five three-pointers are a season-high.
• Fleming's five blocks are a career-high and the most by a Gulll since Dempsey against Curry on 1/4/24.
• Endicott outshot Salem State 8-2 from deep.
• The Gulls' bench outscored the Vikings, 11-7.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (6-3, 3-0 CNE) travels to MIT on December 30 for a 2 PM tipoff. Salem State (4-7, 0-0 MASCAC) welcomes Lasell to Twohig Gymnasium on January 2 in a 5 PM clash. 

For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

(Photo Credit - Catherine Scarantino '25)