DeChent Scores Game-High 26 Points in 65-61 Win vs Merrimack

Friday, December 5

Durham, N.H.

11 AM

University of New Hampshire

3-6,0-0America East

Merrimack

3-5,0-0MAAC

Merrimack

New Hampshire

Photo by: Katie Beaudrot

DeChent Scores Game-High 26 Points in 65-61 Win vs Merrimack

12/5/2025 3:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Junior guard Eva DeChent (Westchester, N.Y.) scored game-high 26 points to lead the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team to a 65-61 comeback victory against Merrimack College at Lundholm Gym on Friday's Education Day, sponsored by Domino's.

DeChent shot 50 percent from the floor (8-for-16) and made nine free throws; she also led the team in both rebounds (seven) and steals (five), and recorded three assists and a block.

Junior guard Maggie Cavanaugh (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.) scored a season-high 15 points and filled the stat sheet with a game-high five assists, four rebounds and four steals.

Senior forward Camryn Fauria (North Attleborough, Mass.) scored five of her seven points in the closing minutes of the game with a 3-pointer that gave the Wildcats a 62-59 lead with 1:20 remaining and two free throws with six seconds left to make it a two-possession game, 65-61. Fauria also pulled down six rebounds.

Merrimack was led by Mia Fiore (15 points, nine rebounds), Lydia Melashenko (13 points) and Oralye Kiefer (12).

UNH remained unbeaten at home (3-0) to improve to 3-6 overall. MC is now 3-5.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action Sunday, Dec. 7 (12pm) at 22^nd-ranked Louisville.
The next Wildcats' home game is Saturday, Dec. 20 (1pm) against intrastate rival Dartmouth College.
Fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal to donate to the Teddy Bear Toss. There will also be a Trading Card Giveaway and postgame autographs.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets online or call (603) 862-4000.

FIRST QUARTER

After falling behind 4-0, Merrimack scored nine consecutive points to take a 9-4 lead on Kiefer's jumper at 1:58.
DeChent made one foul shot with 42 seconds on the clock to trim the deficit to 11-8 through one quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Cavanaugh's 3-pointer tied the score, 17-17, at 7:04.
The Warriors responded with a 10-0 run to build a 27-17 advantage at 4:12.
A jumper by DeChent in the paint and 3-pointer by Elizabeth Lavoie (Hampstead, N.H.) quickly trimmed the deficit to 27-22 at 3:23.
Back-to-back baskets by Fiore extended the visitor's lead to nine points, 33-24, with 18 seconds left in the half.
Another free throw by DeChent sent the teams into the locker rooms at 33-25.

THIRD QUARTER

New Hampshire outscored the Warriors 23-18 in the third quarter.
Merrimack went back in front by double digits, 36-25, on a layup by Fiore at 9:06.
Cavanaugh made a jumper and 3-pointer within 18 seconds to quickly trim the margin to 38-33 at 6:46.
MC surged out to a 43-34 lead midway through the third quarter before Lucia Melero Sabat (Barcelona, Spain) made a jumper in the paint and DeChent recorded a three-point play to lift the 'Cats within 43-39.
The teams exchanged scores the rest of the quarter, which ended with a driving layup by DeChent to advance the score to 51-48 through 30 minutes.

 
FOURTH QUARTER

New Hampshire outscored the visitors 17-10 in the fourth quarter.
Fauria's layup at 8:10 and DeChent's 3-pointer at 7:41 tied the score, 53-53.
UNH succeeded on its fourth attempt take a 55-53 lead on a mid-range jumper by DeChent at 4:49, and Lavoie's layup gave the 'Cats a four-point lead at 3:36.
MC tied the score at 59 on Fiore's jump shot at 2:30.
Two UNH possessions later, Fauria hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key at 1:20 to give the 'Cats a 62-59 lead it would not relinquish.
After Cavanaugh made one foul shot with 30 seconds to play, Madison Roman's layup pulled MC within 63-61 with 24 seconds on the clock. She did not convert the three-point play but the Warriors retained possession off the missed free throw.
Merrimack missed a game-tying layup and Fauria pulled down the defensive rebound with six seconds on the clock.
Fauria hit both foul shots to secure the win.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Cavanaugh matched her career high of four 3-pointers.
DeChent matched her mark of 26 points for the fifth-highest total by an America East player this season.
Cavanaugh and DeChent combined to record all nine of UNH's steals.
Melero Sabat matched her season high of nine points and recorded a season-high six rebounds.

 
GAME NOTEBOOK

UNH shot 45.2 percent (14 of 31) from the floor in the second half and held Merrimack to 28.6 percent (4 of 14) in the fourth quarter to record the comeback win.
The Wildcats had an 11-3 edge in points off turnovers; the Warriors committed 15 turnovers in comparison to UNH's 11.