UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team took its pre-Thanksgiving matchup with the Norwich University Cadets by a score of 75-67 on Tuesday afternoon. 

Three Pioneers finished in double scoring figures in Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central) who lead the way with 22 points (9-14 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2-2 FT), followed by Madison Marusic (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) with 12 points (5-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 1-1 FT), and McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) with 10 points (1-10 FG, 8-8 FT). Hall led the rebounding efforts for the Pioneers with a team leading nine, followed by Carly Atty (Tribes Hill, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) and Simmons with six a piece. Atty was also able to dish out a team leading four assists, while the trio of Simmons, Marusic, and Madison LaDuke (Massena, NY/Massena Central) each dished out a pair. Defensively, Simmons led the way with four steals, while LaDuke, Hall, Jayla Bell (Lyons, NY/Lyons), and Destiny Herring (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) each nabbed one. Herring and Hall also managed to add a block to their afternoons. 

Utica came out flying and never really let Norwich settle in. After a couple empty trips both ways, Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central) broke things open with a transition three, then followed with a smooth mid-range jumper to make it 5–2. The Pioneers' energy on the glass showed up early as well with Cornell crashing for a tip-in off a Hall miss, and Marusic buried a jumper in the lane to push the cushion to 11–2. Utica pushed the tempo and built a 23–12 lead and firmly seized control.

Norwich made its best push to start the second, stringing together a 7–0 run to close the gap to 23–19 as the Cadets finally found a rhythm in the paint and from the arc. Marusic calmly answered with a three to stop the surge, Hall rose up for another jumper, and Utica's poise on offense meant the lead stayed at two to three possessions, and the Pioneers took a 37–29 advantage into halftime.

Coming out of the break, Norwich trimmed the deficit back to six early on with a fastbreak layup, but Atty immediately answered with a three on the other end to bump it back to nine. Hall continued in the mid-range, curling into the lane for another jumper, while Marusic kept attacking the paint. Defensively, the Pioneers forced multiple empty trips from Norwich and the Pioneers had pushed the margin into double digits again, taking a 53-22 advantage into the final frame. 

Norwich made one last push in the fourth, using a couple of layups and a three to slice the lead down to five at 55–50. The Pioneers answered with Herring attacking downhill, earning trips to the line and knocking down free throws to steady things. Hall came up with big plays on both ends with a defensive block at the rim, then a tough finish inside and a jumper to make it a three-possession game again. Simmons repeatedly broke free against pressure, drew fouls, and calmly converted a string of free throws to keep the Cadets at arm's length. Utica controlled the tempo all night and finished off a 75–67 home win.

Utica (3-3, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action on Monday, December 1 as the team travels to take on the RPI Engineers. Tip off from Troy, NY is set for 5pm.