Box Score (New/Sortable Format) EDINBORO, Pa. (December 4, 2013) – Hope Mancini's strong second half propelled the Edinboro women's basketball team to a 76-60 victory against Seton Hill on Wednesday evening at McComb Fieldhouse. Mancini scored a career-high 31 points, shooting eight of 14 on 3-pointers, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and had 22 second-half points. The Fighting Scots are now 3-1 overall, 2-0 in the PSAC West and the Griffins fall to 4-3 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC West.

Coming out of halftime with a 32-30 lead, Mancini caught fire. The senior guard opened the half with a 3-pointer and soon followed that with a steal and lay-up, all within the first 45 seconds. Mancini made four 3-pointers in the first three minutes and eight seconds, totaling 16 points while leading the Fighting Scots to an 18-3 run to open the half.

Edinboro led 60-39 with 12:05 remaining but then went over four minutes without a basket. Seton Hill chipped away at the lead during that time, going on an 8-0 run. Nicole Johnson ended the Griffins run and they could not overcome the deficit that ultimately built to 22 with 2:29 remaining. Mancini finished with 22 second-half points, more than any amount she has scored in a single game in her career.

"(Mancini) hit them at times where it just buries you and hurts you if you're the opposing team," said Edinboro head coach Stan Swank on Mancini's 3-pointers. "She just did a great job of picking her spot."

The first half came and went rather quietly, as both teams struggled to shoot the ball. Seton Hill shot 34.8 percent from the field while Edinboro shot 36.1 percent. Laurel Lindsay led all scorers at the break with 11 points and was a perfect three-for-three from behind the arc. The Griffins had two double-digit scorers as Paige Alviani scored 10 and Katie Gattuso nearly had a double-double at halftime with 10 points and nine rebounds. Seton Hill was 12-for-12 from the free throw line whereas Edinboro had only free throw attempt in the first half and missed it.

Mancini's eight 3-pointers were only two off of Krystal Henson's Edinboro single-game record of 10 set in 2001-02 against Columbia Union. Lindsay finished the game with 16 points and five rebounds while making six of 10 field goals. Valerie Majewski made all five of her shots inside the arc and finished with 10 points and a game-high six assists. Johnson played well off the bench. The freshman forward who had started the first three games of the season finished with six points and six rebounds in relief.

"This year we have some people that can shoot the three," Swank remarked as the Fighting Scots finished with 13 3-pointers made, three off the record for most in a game set in 1996-97 against California (Pa.). "Last year we didn't shoot the three as well and this year I believe because of Val and Laurel and of course Hope we have a lot more options with that. If they are going to let us shoot the three, those kids are pretty good 3-point shooters."
For the Griffins, Gattuso finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points and finishing with 12 rebounds. She also led the team with five assists and had a game-high three blocks. Kelly Brennan made up most of the bench scoring for Seton Hill, as she had 14 points. The combination of Gattuso and Alviani that led the Griffins in the first half only had a combined four points in the second half on two-for-nine shooting.

Edinboro committed only eight turnovers in the game and just two in the second half. Seton Hill turned the ball over 18 times and the Fighting Scots scored 21 points off of turnovers. Edinboro shot 54.5 percent from the field in the second half and 46.2 percent on 3-pointers.

The Fighting Scots will return to action this Saturday, December 7 when they travel to California (Pa.). Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.