University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
5-8 (2-0 A-10)
La Salle
5-8 (0-2 A-10)
Women's Basketball Downs LaSalle, 61-57, On The Road
January 07, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2000
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Senior Alison MacFarland (Brick, N.J.) scored 15 points, including 12 points in the second half and six free throws in the last five minutes, to lead UMass to a 61-57 win over LaSalle tonight in Atlantic 10 conference action. Sophomore Nekole Smith (Ann Arbor, Mich.) had 12 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Jennifer Butler (Brooklyn, N.Y) had 11 points and nine rebounds. UMass improves to 5-8 overall and 2-0 in Atlantic 10 action, while LaSalle falls to 5-8 overall and 0-2 in Atlantic10 action. UMass wraps up its four game road trip with a 2-2 record and will head home to UMass for a three game road stand that will start on Sunday against St. Bonavenutre at 2:00 p.m.
UMass got off to a nice start in the game going on a 13-4 run in the first five minutes of the game. La Salle answered the run tying the game at 17-17 with a jumper by Shannon McDade at 7:57. UMass took a four point lead with a layup from freshman Jennifer Butler and a jumper by Tonia Thomas. La Salle charged back to tie the game on a made free throw by McDade at 4:30 and then went on a 9-5 run to take a four point lead their largest of the first half. Junior Kathy Coyner (Belpre, Ohio) playing in her first game since Dec. 14th, hit her second three pointer of the half to cut the lead to 30-29. UMass was plagued by poor shooting hitting only 28 percent from the field, while LaSalle was 52 percent from the field.
The second half featured three lead changes and two ties in the first 10 minutes of play, but Minutewomen built the lead up to six points 46-40 on a basket by MacFarland at 9:24, the lead was cut to two when LaSalle went on a 6-0 run. UMass answered with a 7-2 run fueled by two made free throws from MacFarland and a jumper from MacFaralnd as well as a made free throw by Jen Butler. LaSalle cut the lead back to two with four free throws from Marjorie Rhoades and on a layup by Shannon McDade at 1:09 (59-57). MacFarland made two free throws with eight seconds left in the game. MacFarland was a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe second half and nine-for-ten for the game.
