Manchester, NH – Ranked eleventh in the latest USA Today Sports Division II Coaches' Poll the Adelphi University women's basketball team defeated Southern New Hampshire, 84-50 in Northeast-10 Conference action on Wednesday evening. The Penmen fall to 10-9 overall and 4-9 in conference play, as Adelphi improves to 16-2 and 9-2 in the league, sitting tops in the Southwest Division.
 
Calli Balfour and Ashley Gomez matched 14 points apiece as Balfour completed her third double-double with 11 rebounds. Also in double-figures was Kelly Mannix who recorded 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal in the victory. Nine different players came off the bench to combine for 37 points in the win. So. New Hampshire's Sara Ryan was the only player to reach double-figures with 13 points, despite the loss.
 
Hot shooting highlighted the first 20 minutes of action as the Brown and Gold connected on 19 of 32 attempts from the floor to pad a 24 point cushion before the break. Behind Balfour's 10 first half points, the Panthers turned a two point advantage into a lead that would prove to be insurmountable by using a 30-7 run through the final half of the opening act.
 
However, their offensive prowess was not the only contributing factor; tough defense and selfless passing added to the gap. Adelphi held their counterparts to under 35 percent shooting from the field and held them without a three-pointer while moving the ball well and sharing the offense as shown by nine, first-half assists.
 
Coming out of the break, Ryan supplied a 10-point run of her own over the first three minutes to come within 13 of the visiting Panthers. Unfortunately for the hosts, Adelphi held their largest lead with 2:30 left in the second half, as Sierra Schrader drained a long three-pointer for an 82-46 score. Jante Bracewell went 2-3 at the line in the final minute for a final score of 84-50.
 
The team will return to action on Saturday, January 24 when they host Merrimack College in a Northeast-10 Conference contest at the Center for Recreation and Sports at 1:30 p.m.