By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, Ohio---Paige Wright (Northrop/Fort Wayne, Ind.) led five players in double figure scoring as the No. 9 Express women's basketball team routed Mercyhurst North East Community College 101-61 at home tonight in the Owens Tip Off Classic.

Wright buried four first half 3-pointers on the way to a game-high 17 points, while adding nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Eboni Adams (Maple Heights/Cleveland, Ohio) and Hannah Griffin (Edgerton/Edgerton, Ohio) each added 15 points. Adams (7) and Griffin (9) also contributed on the glass.

Kamilah Carter (Pioneer/Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Ashley Tunstall (Wayne/Huber Heights, Ohio) also hit double figures with 12 and 10, respectively.

Wright and Carter added had a team-high four assists.

A big theme in the game was fouls and foul shots. Both teams combined to shoot 58-for-89 from the foul line, while the Express broke program records for team free throws made (45) and attempted (60) in a game.

Griffin finished a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line, while Adams was 7-for-8. Wright and Carter were each 2-for-2 from the foul line.

Five players had at least seven rebounds for the Express, led by Wright's nine.

Mercedes Hudson led Mercyhurst North East (1-1) with 10 points.

The Express (3-1) will advance to take on No. 10 Monroe College in tomorrow's championship beginning at 6 p.m. in the SHAC. The Mustangs defeated No. 5 St. Clair County Community College in the day's other semifinal.

Notes

Mercyhurst North East's bench players accounted for 49 of their 61 points. They actually outscored the Express 49-42 in that area, as well as points in the paint (26-24). The Express held advantages in points off turnovers (18-15) and second chance points (23-11).

Wright became only the second Express women's basketball player ever to make at least 5-for-5 from 3-point range in one game. It hadn't been done since 1992.