READING, Pa. (Feb. 18, 2017) – Junior Allison Gallagher (Souderton, Pa.) eclipsed 1,000 points in her career to help propel the Widener University women's basketball team to a 67-59 victory over Alvernia in the season finale for both schools on Saturday afternoon at Jack McCloskey Court.
 
Gallagher, who entered the contest with 994 career points, reached the milestone midway through the first quarter by nailing a pair of 3-pointers to give the Pride a 7-3 advantage with 5:48 on the clock. The guard remained hot from the field and would drill another trifecta to make it 10-3 just over a minute later, and the visitors carried a 25-19 lead into the recess with Gallagher accounting for 11 of her team's points.
 
Widener stayed ahead throughout the second half and went up by twin figures when Gallagher canned her fourth trey of the contest to make it 32-21. Alvernia was able to trim the deficit and brought it down to a one-possession game when Miranda Hoover hit a jumper to create a 41-38 score earlier in the fourth quarter, but Widener answered back with Gallagher leading the way. After sophomore Emily Hardy (Lewisberry, Pa.) converted a layup to keep the Crusaders at bay, Gallagher scored seven points and dished out three assists in the final nine minutes to help the Pride end the season on a three-game winning streak.
 
Gallagher finished the game with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals to lead the way for Widener (9-16, MAC Commonwealth 6-10). She also shot an efficient 8-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-9 from long range, and a perfect 2-of-2 at the line. Freshman Madison Ireland (Garnet Valley, Pa.) netted 16 points and dished out four assists, while Rimmer contributed 13 points for the visitors.
 
Alvernia (2-23, MAC Commonwealth 2-14) was paced by Hoover's double-double performance. She finished the game with 29 points and 14 rebounds. Kiersten Ingram also reached twin figures in scoring, accounting for 12 points, and also provided six assists in the setback.
 
Widener, which fielded a young team with seven freshmen on the 16-player roster, is slated to return 15 letterwinners and four starters next season.