Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. -- Sophomore guard Kelley Paradis (Newport, Maine) scored a season-high 22 points as the University of New England broke open a close game with a late first-half run and picked up a 73-49 The Commonwealth Coast Conference victory over Nichols College in the women's basketball regular-season finale Saturday afternoon at the Athletics Center.

The win gives the Nor'easters (20-5, 11-2 TCCC) the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the conference tournament which begins Tuesday. Big Blue will play host to eighth-seeded Roger Williams University in the quarterfinal round.

Paradis made eight of 11 attempts from the floor to lead the UNE offense. Classmate Margo Russell (Madison, Maine) tallied 11 points after halftime to finish with 15 in support, and added seven rebounds. Junior Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) chipped in with 11 points. First-year Eden Cianciolo (Fryeburg, Maine) corralled a game-high 11 boards.

Tied at 16 with 6:09 left in the opening period, the Nor'easters used a 13-0 run to take control of the contest. First-year Liz LeBlanc (Jay, Maine) scored all but one of her six points during the stretch, while Paradis and Russell split the rest.

The visitors led 32-21 at the break, holding Nichols to 27.6 percent (8-for-29) shooting and forcing 16 Bison turnovers.

Nichols was still within 12 (59-47) with 3:24 left in regulation, but UNE scored 14 of the final 16 points to win going away. The lead never dipped below 10 during the second half.

Bison junior Jessica Nelson (North Providence, R.I.) posted 16 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort. Nichols ends the season with a record of 12-12 overall (5-8 TCCC).

After finishing in a three-way tie with Endicott College and Regis College atop the league standings, and the first tie-breaker did not separate the teams, the second tie-breaker (head-to-head versus other TCCC teams) eliminated the Pride by virtue of their loss to Salve Regina University. UNE then got nod over Endicott based on its 61-58 victory over the Gulls on February 9.

Game-time for Tuesday's quarterfinal against the Hawks is 7:00 p.m.