RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Concordia Clippers women's basketball team captured a 72-61 victory at Felician University on Wednesday evening in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play. Sophomore Nicole Nicholson (Staten Island, N.Y.) led the Clippers with a career-high 23 points as Concordia earned their first win of the season.
The first quarter would be a back-and-forth battle as the two sides traded control of the scoreboard four times in the first four minutes of the period. The Golden Falcons used a 9-0 run to open up an 18-10 advantage as the Clippers ended the quarter on a 7-1 run to trail 19-17 after 10 minutes of action.
Concordia continued their momentum in the second period and by the 7:11 mark regained the lead, 23-21. The Clippers would continue their strong play and led 29-23 with 4:40 to go in the quarter. Concordia led by double digits, 36-23, at the 1:36 mark and at halftime would go into the locker room with a 39-28 lead.
The Clippers began the third quarter on an 8-1 run as Concordia led 47-29 at the 6:17 mark. Felician would slowly cut into the deficit and with 2:37 to go were within 10 points, 50-40. The Clippers ended the period on an 8-3 run as they led 58-43 going into the final quarter.
Concordia was held scoreless until the 5:24 mark of the fourth period as the Golden Falcons scored six unanswered points to trail 58-49. Six of the next 10 points for Felician would cut the deficit to 62-55 with 4:31 remaining on the clock. The Clippers would maintain their advantage and ended the quarter on a 10-6 run over the final two minutes of the game as Concordia captured the 72-61 win.
Nicholson's 23 points came on 12-of-16 shooting from the foul line while adding five field goals, four rebounds, and two assists. Redshirt-junior Brianna Hendrick (Valley Stream, N.Y.) recorded her second career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds while senior Hadiyah Black (Brooklyn, N.Y.) came off the bench to record a game-high 14 rebounds.
The Clippers (1-13, 1-4 CACC) will return home on Saturday to host Bloomfield College in a CACC North Division showdown in the Meyer Athletic Center. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. as fans unable to attend can follow the action by clicking on the live stats and video links under the women's basketball schedule page on ConcordiaClippers.com.