University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
St. Bonaventure
Women's Basketball Holds Off St. Bonaventure, 63-54
January 07, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2001
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - The University of Massachusetts women's basketball team placed three players in double figures and defeated St. Bonaventure, 63-54, this afternoon in women's basketball action at the Reilly Center. The win moves UMass to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in the Atlantic-10, while St. Bonaventure falls to 4-9 and 0-2 in the A-10.
UMass guard Kathy Coyner (Belpre, Ohio) scored a team-high 15 points and Ebony Pegues Columbus, Ohio) scored a career-high 14 points as the Minutewomen held off the Bonnies in the final minutes with some clutch shooting.
St. Bonaventure had cut an 18-point UMass lead to 55-50 with 1:37 to play on a Gellaine Clarke layup, but Pegues responded with a jumper putting UMass back up by seven. After a Bonnie turnover, the hosts were forced to foul and Massachusetts went 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the victory.
Clarke finished with a team-high 16 points for the Bonnies. Clarke played just four minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, but led the Bonnies charge in the second half with 14 of her points.
Despite a 31.6 percent shooting night, the Bonnies had several chances to shrink the UMass lead, but Pegues buried two three-pointers in the second half to thwart Bona rallies. With UMass up 43-35, Pegues drained a three-pointer to push the lead back to 11. St. Bonaventure cut the lead to 48-41 with under seven minutes remaining, but Pegues again answered the call with another trey to put the Minutewomen up ten points.
Pegues went 5-of-8 for the game from the field and had four steals. It was the second straight game that the sophomore guard had recorded a career-high in points, as she scored 12 versus St. Joseph's on Jan. 4.
The Bonnies were hampered all day by poor shooting and turnovers (18). UMass, the top rebounding team in the A-10, outrebounded the Bonnies 41-31 led by sophomore Jennifer Butler (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Butler finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Minutewomen built a 31-13 in the first half after a Siiri Liivandi (Rapla, Estonia) basket with 3:07 left. The Bonnies, stymied by UMass' 2-3 zone, managed to cut the lead to 35-20 at halftime. St. Bonaventure made only one of its first eight field goals and shot 24.1 percent in the first half, while UMass shot 14-for-29 in the first half (48.3%).
"We played with a lot more intensity in the second half," said St. Bonaventure head coach Jim Crowley. "We dug ourselves a hole in the first half and made some costly turnovers when we were trying to get back in the game. UMass hit some big shots in the second half, especially Pegues."
Sophomore Courtney Mattingly had seven points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Bonnies.
UMass returns to action this Tuesday night, Jan. 9, at the Mullins Center, as they host conference foe Rhode Island. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
