Neary pours in 28 points off bench in Seahawk victory

NEWPORT, R.I. (December 7, 2021) - Salve Regina University sophomore Briana Neary (Wayne, N.J.) came off the bench and led all players with her career-high 28 points in a 68-58 victory over visiting Curry College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball action at the Rodgers Recreation Center.

Neary accounted for all but two points in the Seahawks' decided advantage off the bench, 30-5. Salve Regina (3-5, 2-0 CCC) never trailed in the game and jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Junior captain Megan Henaghan (Whitman, Mass.) won the opening tipoff and hit the first basket with an assist from Hannah Autenrieth (Hooksett, N.H.). Henaghan added a lyup before Gabby Sousa (Hudson, N.H.) swished a 3-pointer.

After five straight points from the Colonels (1-7, 0-3 CCC), Sousa sank another trey. The Seahawks broke the game open with a 17-4 second quarter, including the final 12 points of the period, to take a 37-20 lead into the break. Ashley Rourke (Londonderry, N.H.) converted a steal into a layup for a 27-20 score. Neary had 10 points before halftime after completing an old-fashioned three-point play in the final minute. Junior captain Morgan Shuey (Corning, Iowa) drew a foul on a long distance shot attempt with 0.6 showing on the game clock in the second quarter, and made all three free throws.

Shuey's steal and layup at 5:43 in the third quarter gave Salve Regina its largest lead of the game, 45-23. Olivia Martin (Hanson, Mass.) made a free throw at 2:37 in the fourth quarter and the Seahawks led by 21 (68-47).

Curry scored the final 11 points of the contest with junior Kathryn Dunn (Hanson, Mass.) burying two threes. Freshman Kylie McCarthy (Beverly, Mass.) had two baskets in the final two minutes including a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Both teams scored 22 points on turnovers and each squad had 22 points in the paint. Krisyanna Remillard (Abington, Mass.) led the Colonels with 16 points while Kaitlynn Smith (Hull, Mass.) added 11 points. Dunn finished with a double-double for Curry, 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Henaghan had a double-double for Salve Regina, 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Shuey made 8-of-9 free throws and finished with a double-double, 13 points and 11 steals, while dishing out nine assists.

Salve Regina will host Nichols College on Thursday at 6 p.m. in a re-scheduled contest from last week. Curry hosts Lesley on Saturday at 1 p.m.