THE BASICS:

- Score: Assumption 59, Pace 45

- Records: Assumption (14-14, 8-12 NE10), Pace (19-10, 12-8 NE10)

- Location: Pleasantville, N.Y. (Goldstein Fitness Center)

- The Lead: Assumption jumped out to an early lead and fought through lead changes to come out victorious over No. 4 seed Pace 59-45 to advance to the NE10 Quarterfinals for the first time in three years.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

-  The Hounds jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before the Setters got on the board. There was back-and-forth action until the 5:20 mark, but then both teams stepped up defensively and held each other scoreless until there was 3:17 on the clock. Pace took their first lead of the day 7-6 at the 3:17 mark and extended it to 9-6 before Brianna Capacchione (Washington Township, N.J./Washington Township) came down just over 20 seconds later and hit a three to tie the game at nine apiece. The kickstarted the Hounds' 8-0 run to finish the first quarter and take their largest lead of the game 14-9 headed into the second quarter.

- Neither team scored in the beginning of the second quarter until Pace earned a pair of free throws at the 7:46 mark to cut Assumption's lead to three (14-11). Assumption responded with four consecutive points to take an 18-11 lead with 5:16 left in the half. Pace later put together their own 4-0 run to get within two (20-18) and later cut the lead to one (22-21) with a three from Lauren Hackett. The Hounds kept their advantage heading into halftime leading 24-23.

- The third quarter opened up with a Monica Spain (Braintree, Mass./Archbishop Williams) layup for Assumption to lead 26-23. A 5-0 run for the Setters gave them the 28-26 lead with 8:15 on the clock until Capacchione went to the other end and made a layup to tie the game once again at 28 apiece. The Hounds turned Capacchione's layup into a 7-0 stretch to earn a five-point lead (33-28) with 6:48 left in the third. Later a 5-0 run earned by Emme Poulin (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus) and Spain forced Pace to take a timeout with 2:31 on the clock and the Hounds with a 40-33 lead. Each team scored two baskets in the remaining two and a half minutes of the quarter to take them to the fourth quarter with Assumption leading 44-37.

- The Setters came out to a fast start in the fourth quarter scoring six-straight points to get within one (44-43) of the Hounds with 7:12 on the clock. The Hounds answered with their own 6-0 spurt to take a 50-43 lead with 3:40 left to play. Back-to-back layups for Temi Falayi (Peabody, Mass./St. Mary's) forced Pace into another timeout with 1:26 left in the game and the Hounds with a 54-45 lead. Assumption ended the night with five free throws to seal the 59-45 upset win over Pace in the NE10 Championship First Round.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Capacchione led the Hounds with 16 points and nine rebounds while Spain added 15 points and nine rebounds. Poulin put up eight points while Falayi earned six points and five rebounds.

- The Hounds shot 54.8 percent from the floor, 36.4 percent from three-point land and 64.3 percent from the free throw line while recording 35 rebounds, nine assists, six steals and three blocks.

- Pace ended the night led by Hackett with 13 points and four assists while the team shot 31.5 percent from the field, 21.1 percent from three and 70.0 percent from the foul line. The Setters earned 25 rebounds, 14 assists, eight steals and three blocks.

UP NEXT:

- The Hounds travel to Stonehill on Sunday, March 1, for the NE10 Quarterfinals at 2 p.m.  

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