University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Charlotte
Minutewomen Fall At Charlotte, 53-44
January 15, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Stefanie Gerardot (Fort Wayne, Ind.) netted a team-high 14 points, including the UMass' final eight points, but it wasn't enough as the Minutewomen (8-8, 1-1 A-10) fell to Charlotte (11-7, 2-0 A-10), 53-44, in Tuesday afternoon's Atlantic 10 women's basketball game at Halton Arena. Pam Rosanio (Southampton, Pa.) added 13 points, 10 of which came in the second half. Kate Mills (Elkton, Md.) recorded a near-double-double for UMass with 10 points and nine rebounds. Charlotte was led by Traci Ray's 11 points. The team's combined for 53 turnovers in a game that saw both offenses struggle.
UMass shot 27.4% (17-62) from the floor and was only 2-for-15 from 3-point range. Charlotte made 35.1% (20-57) of its shots and 3-for-16 from behind the arc. The 49ers held a slight edge on the glass, 46-43, while UMass committed 28 turnovers to Charlotte's 25.
UMass took its first lead of the game, 7-6, when Kim Benton (Springfield, Pa.) threaded a bounce pass to Teya Wright (Paterson, N.J.) for a layup at the 13:10 mark of the first half. After Charlotte took the lead back, Rosanio converted a 3-point play off a Gerardot assist to go ahead, 16-13, with 8:26 left. The lead would go back to the 49ers at the 4:03 mark, as both offenses had difficulty scoring and the 49ers took a 21-20 lead into halftime.
Mills and Gerardot each had six points in the first half to lead UMass. The Minutewomen shot 26.7% (8-30) in the first half, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range. Charlotte shot 32.1% (9-28) and was 1-for-9 from behind the arc. UMass out-rebounded the 49ers in the opening 20 minutes, 25-21.
After missing their first six shot of the second half and falling behind by seven, the Minutewomen used a 7-2 spurt, started by another Rosanio 3-point play, to pull within two, 29-27, with 15:04 left in the game. UMass trailed by five, 41-36, at the 5:22 mark when Charlotte outscored the Minutewomen, 6-2, to take a 47-38 lead with 3:15 remaining. Gerardot then ran off six points for UMass, while the Minutewomen only allowed one basket at the defensive end over the next 3:32 to make it a 49-44 49ers lead with 1:38 remaining. UMass was unable to muster any more offense however, and Charlotte made four free throws in the final minute to ice the game.
The Minutewomen return home to host the Richmond Spiders on Sunday at the Mullins Center. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. as UMass will look to remain unbeaten at home in a game that will be televised on CSTV.
