Box Score
WATCH: Senior Day Ceremony
WATCH: Postgame Interviews (Palace & Reddick)
Senior Day Photo Gallery
 
KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Feb. 12, 2022) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Mariners women's basketball team made 2022 Senior Day one to remember for the four players on the cusp of graduation. The Mariners honored Allison Schieffer (Elbert, Colo.), Kimberly Palace (Grasonville, Md.), Julia Dahlke (San Diego, Calif.) and Madison Reddick (Baker, Mont.) in style with a convincing 71-39 win over the Purchase College Panthers.
 
To watch the pre-game Senior Day ceremony in its entirety, click here. You can also view photos from the even at this link.
 
In a bounce-back effort, Merchant Marine improved to 19-5 overall (15-4 Skyline). Every win is crucial for the Mariners down the stretch as they look to lock up the #2 seed in the conference standings. Purchase in turn fell to 2-20 overall (2-17 Skyline) in defeat. Merchant Marine caged the Panthers for the second time in five days after their 69-40 win this past Monday night in Purchase.
 
It was only appropriate that coach Matt Dempsey inserted all four of his seniors into today's starting five. Alongside freshman Grace Jackson's (Parma, Idaho) 10 points, the senior foursome tallied a combined 29 points over the course of the afternoon.
 
Purchase jumped out of the gate with an 11-8 lead after the pomp and circumstance concluded. USMMA's offense got going with three minutes remaining in the opening frame thanks to Dahlke. The senior from San Diego's jumper opened a seven-minute Mariners' barrage that carried into the second quarter. In the blink of an eye, the Mariners' run rapidly ballooned to 18-0.
 
Merchant Marine took control of the game when they began swarming the Panthers on both the defensive and offensive glass. Led by 13 rebounds by Reddick, the Mariners out-rebounded Purchase 61-30 for the game and 27-7 on the offensive end.
 
When offensive rebounds are secured, they usually lead to points for sophomore Bryanne Buchanan-Cummings (Dacula, Ga.). Today's contest was no exception, as Buchanan-Cummings tallied eight first-half points en route to a team-high 12 points, as she and junior Madison Demos (Downers Grove, Ill.) combined for nine offensive boards and 15 total.
 
As the game moved into half number two, the Mariners were in full control, leading 36-17. A 28-6 run to end the first half helped Merchant Marine never look back in this one. The Mariners pulled a complete 180 after Wednesday's loss versus Mount Saint Mary College by shooting 41% from the field for the game.
 
All was right in Mariners world except that one piece of the 2022 Senior Day puzzle was missing. Schieffer had yet to score. Schieffer was the only senior who had not swooshed the hoop for Merchant Marine by halftime.
 
After shooting 0-for-1 from the field in half number one, Schieffer brought her team's bench to their feet by going 3-for-4 from the field in the final 20 minutes. She finished with six points to nearly double her season total from all season prior to today's game.
 
To watch postgame interviews with Palace and Reddick, click here.
 
With the victory, the Mariners finish their home schedule with a 10-2 mark at Liebertz Gymnasium. Merchant Marine hits the road for their final contest of the regular season when they will head to Sarah Lawrence College on Tuesday night, Feb. 15. The Mariners won their first meeting with the Gryphons this season, 62-44, back on Jan. 12. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Women's Basketball Schedule Page.
 
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