Worcester, Mass. (January 23) -- Assumption used a strong second-half surge to build a 24-point lead before coming away with a 79-62 home win over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 women's basketball action on Wednesday night. Assumption is receiving votes in the USA Today Sports Division II National Poll for the sixth straight week.

Over the opening 15 minutes of play, neither led by more than four points as the teams were deadlocked at 22-22 with just over five minutes left in the period. Assumption answered with a 12-3 run to close the half though behind eight points from senior Gabrielle Gibson (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) as the Hounds took a 34-25 lead into halftime. Gibson led all scorers in the period with 13 points as the Hounds shot 43.3 percent from the field in the first half.

In the second period, the Ravens chipped the lead down to eight points in the opening minutes before Assumption pulled away and built to a 20-point lead at 69-49 with 8:08 left. The Hounds led by at least 17 points the rest of the way to knock the Ravens out of a third-place tie.

Gibson led the Hounds with 24 points, along with 15 points from senior Katy Howard (Medway, Mass./Medway). Junior forward Jamie Insel (Clinton, N.J./Voorhees) led the Hounds with 10 rebounds.

Three Ravens finished the game in double figures, led by a 13-point effort from Amanda Saab.

With the win, the Hounds improve to 12-4 overall and 9-3 in Northeast-10 play, while the Ravens drop to 11-5 overall and 8-4 in the league.

Assumption is back in action on Saturday, January 26th as the Hounds travel to UMass Lowell for a 2 p.m. start at Costello Gym.

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