SELINSGROVE, PA (January 19, 2022) -- Senior guard Amanda Lemire tallied a season-high 20 points, just two shy of her career-high, but it wasn't quite enough as visiting Drew University bested the Susquehanna University women's basketball team 83-68 in Landmark Conference play from O.W. Houts Gymnasium Wednesday evening. 

The Auburn, N.H. native's previous season-best point total came back on November 17 in a road victory at Dickinson College, as she finished with 14 points in the win. Lemire also tied her career-high for three-pointers made in a contest with four, going perfect from deep on her four attempts. 

The first quarter of the game was back-and-forth, as Drew University (11-2, 2-2 Landmark) worked hard to enter the ball into the post as much as it could. The Rangers took a four-point lead with 4:24 to go in the first quarter but SU rallied back to take its first lead of the game at 11-10 after a pair of freebies from Erin McQuillen just over seven minutes into the contest. DU answered back with a triple by Katrina Wojtowicz to take a 13-11 edge into the second 10 minutes. 

SU (9-6, 1-4 Landmark) started the second quarter with a jumper by Sadie Comfort to deadlock the game at 13, but Drew scored tallied 10 of the next 13 points including six from Kyra Mann to take a 23-16 lead. Drew continued to add to its edge, eventually taking an 11-point lead at 40-29 into the halftime break. Erin Frederick had 15 points in the first half for Drew, while Susquehanna got 10 points from Amalia Esposito. 

The River Hawks tried to mount a comeback in the third quarter, as McQuillen posted free throws preceding a jumper from Lemire to make it a six-point game at 44-38 with 6:49 left in the third. Drew would separate again but the River Hawks didn't back down, as an Esposito jumper with 1:34 to go in the third once again made it a single-digit game at 52-44. Over the last minute of the third quarter, the Rangers scored five of the last six points to take a 58-45 lead into the fourth. 

The visitors would slowly pull away in the fourth though, shooting 8-for-14 in the final 10 minutes (57.1 percent) while connecting on 8-of-13 of their attempts at the line to close it out.

In addition to her scoring output, Lemire finished with three rebounds and two assists, going 4-of-5 at the line. Esposito also registered season-bests in points, minutes and field goals, as she tallied 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, leading the squad with eight caroms. McQuillen was perfect at the line, making all six of her free throws en route to nine points and eight boards, while Comfort came off the bench to score eight points. Senior Megan Emlet also tallied five points, as SU outscored Drew 20-10 in bench points. 

The River Hawks shot 40.4 percent from the field on the night, but nailed a season-best 69.2 percent (9-13) from behind the arc. The near-70 percent shooting from deep on eight or more makes was a school record. 

Drew got 22 points and 11 rebounds from Joey Meyers, who also had four assists, and Frederick finished with 18 points as well. The Rangers outscored SU in the paint 56-24, while also holding a 23-11 edge in points off turnovers. Mann added 14 points as well for Drew, which finished with a 42-29 advantage on the glass. 

Up Next

• The River Hawks will be back at home in O.W. Houts Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m., hosting Goucher College (1-12, 0-5 Landmark) at 4 p.m. in more Landmark Conference action. 

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