MANCHESTER, N.H.– Led by a career-high 29 points from Marina Callahan, the No. 20/16 nationally ranked Assumption University women's basketball team defeated Southern New Hampshire University on the road 78-65 in Northeast-10 Conference action Saturday afternoon.
 
THE BASICS
Score: No. 20/16 Assumption University 78, Southern New Hampshire 65
Records: Greyhounds (22-3, 17-3 NE10), Penmen (17-8, 15-6 NE10)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Greyhounds sprung out to a 5-0 lead, with Amanda Mieczkowski and Kaijhe Hall getting the opening buckets. Marina Callahan got on the board early, too, with a tough layup plus the foul, getting Assumption out to an 8-2 lead just three minutes in, leading to an SNHU timeout. Callahan had it going, dropping two three-pointers straight out of the timeout to extend the lead 14-4. Assumption's speed and shot-making beyond the arc were overwhelming for the Penmen early, but the home side made a late push to make it close, as the Hounds led 25-15 after one. 
 
In the second quarter, the game was more back-and-forth, with the home side getting within four of the Greyhounds as Jess Knight converted a layup for her ninth point on the day. The Penmen were within a couple of possessions until Teagan Curran hit a three at 3:47 to give the Hounds more breathing room, up by seven, 33-26. Adriana Timberlake was also starting to get going, knocking down her pull-up jumper to keep the home side within three with less than a minute to go until half. The Penmen held the Greyhounds to nine points in the second quarter compared to 25 in the first. Meghan Gordon buried a three on the cusp of halftime to tie the game, putting an exclamation point on a huge second quarter for Southern New Hampshire. At the half, it was all square at 34 apiece. 
 
Southern New Hampshire began the second half how they ended the first, jumping out to a four-point lead. After a quick spurt from the Hounds, Gordon responded with a driving layup to give the lead back to the home side, leading to an Assumption timeout. The third quarter was the closest of the three so far, with the Hounds edging the scoring 17-15. With ten minutes to go, Assumption led 51-49. 
 
Marina Callahan began to take over this game, tallying her total to 22 after a layup plus the foul with 7:16 to swing the lead in Assumption's favor. At 6:17, the game was tied at 58-58 until the Greyhounds ripped off a 9-0 run to open the game up 67-58 with four minutes to go. Callahan, the go-to Greyhound all afternoon, was up to 27 points and a new career high. The experienced Hounds executed down the stretch and controlled the flow of the fourth quarter, outsourcing the Penmen 27-16. Led by Callahan's career-high 29, the Hounds defeated the Penmen 78-65 for the conference road victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Marina Callahan led all scorers with a career-high 29 points while adding seven rebounds and three blocks.
• Southern New Hampshire had the slight edge on the glass (32-31), while Assumption pushed the ball in transition, outscoring the hosts 22-10.
• Two other Greyhounds joined Callahan with double-digit points, as Amanda Mieczkowski poured in 15 and Kaijhe Hall added 11. 
• Assumption is now 31-19 all-time against Southern New Hampshire.

 
UP NEXT

• AU vs. Adelphi, Tuesday, February 27, 5:30 pm – Senior Day
• SNHU vs. Saint Rose, Tuesday, February 27, 5:30 pm

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