University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
4-6
Furman
4-5
Women's Basketball Downs Furman, 60-54, At Dartmouth Classic
December 28, 1999 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 28, 1999
HANOVER, N.H. - Senior Tonia Thomas (Seguin, Texas) registered 16 points in the University of Massachusetts, 60-54, victory over Furman in the Dartmouth Classic on Dec. 28 in Hanover, N.H. The Minutewomen (4-6) advance to the championship game with the victory and will face either Dartmouth or William & Mary on Dec. 29 at 8 p.m.
Three other UMass players scored in double-figures in the win. Freshman Jennifer Butler (Brooklyn, N.Y.) recorded a double-double with 14 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Sophomore Caroline Nehls (Randolph, N.J.) added 12 points, while senior Alison MacFarland (Brick, N.J.) registered 11 points and pulled down nine boards.
The Minutewomen held the Lady Palidins to just eight field goals in the first half on 26.7 percent shooting, while hitting 50 percent themselves from the field. Thomas and Butler were the mainstays for UMass early on, scoring the Minutewomen?s first 16 points in the game before sophomore Nekole Smith (Ann Arbor, Mich.) added a jumper with 14:15 minutes remaining in the first half. UMass led by as much as 17 points in the half at 25-8 and finished the first half with a 31-22 advantage.
The Minutewomen shot just 34.4 percent in the second half, which enabled Furman to make a comeback. The Lady Palidins rallied with a 17-8 spurt midway through the second half to cut the UMass advantage to just one point with under two minutes to play in the game. Thomas retaliated with a three-pointer to take a four-point lead, while MacFarland scored the final three points of the game to advance the Minutewomen into the championship game with a 60-54 victory.
Junior Kathy Coyner (Belpre, Ohio) did not play due to the recovery of an ankle operation performed earlier this month.
