FRANKLIN, Mass. - Regis College opened its 2023-24 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) schedule with a 73-31 victory over Dean College Saturday afternoon in a GNAC women's basketball game at Pieri Gymnasium.
All 12 players who saw action for the Pride earned at least one point or one rebound, led by Jordyn Striggles (Raynham, Mass.) with 16 points and Haley Lightbody (Reading, Mass.) with 10 points. Emma Pollini (Derry, N.H.) finished with a career-high nine points, plus she was one of four Regis players with three steals, and Larissa Gilberto (Weymouth, Mass.) led the Pride with nine rebounds to go along with six points.
Regis scored the first nine points of the game and held Dean scoreless through the first three minutes of action, but the Bulldogs battled back with seven unanswered points later in the first quarter, featuring a three-pointer by Tori Viau. Baskets by Striggles and Lightbody in the final minute of the period extended Regis' advantage to 19-11.
The Pride took control in the second quarter by outscoring the Bulldogs 19-5, starting with consecutive layups by Striggles. Regis held Dean scoreless through the final six-and-a-half minutes of the period to open a 22-point advantage at halftime, 38-16.
Regis continued to pressure the Bulldogs, rattling off 11 unanswered points late in the third quarter, capped by a three-pointer from Kaiyah Singleton-Rivera (Stoughton, Mass.) for her first career collegiate points. The Pride maintained their defensive effort throughout the rest of the game, allowing their fewest points since a 56-29 victory over Norwich Feb. 17, 2022.
Viau led the Bulldogs with 15 points, while Allie Bezio pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. As a team, Dean shot just 20.8 percent (10-for-48) from the field and 57.1 percent (8-for-14) from the free throw line.
The Pride shot 42.9 percent (30-for-70) from the field and 60 percent (9-for-15) from the free throw line, plus they won the rebounding battle, 48-37, including 17 offensive boards that led to 15 second chance points. Regis also scored 39 points off 40 Dean turnovers.
Regis College (2-6, 1-0 GNAC) hosts Clark University Tuesday, Dec. 5, starting at 7 p.m. and Saint Joseph's College next Saturday, Dec. 9, beginning at 1 p.m. Dean College (1-6, 0-1 GNAC) hosts Fisher College Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. before traveling to face Albertus Magnus College next Saturday at 1 p.m.