University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Longwood
Rosanio And Mills Lift UMass Past Longwood, 68-58
January 03, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2008
AMHERST, Mass. - Pam Rosanio (Southampton, Pa.) and Kate Mills (Elkton, Md.) both shot 9-for-11 and scored 21 and 20 points, respectively, to lead UMass (7-7) to a 68-58 victory over Longwood (7-9) in Thursday night's women's basketball game at the Mullins Center. The Minutewomen shot a season-high 56.9% to improve to 6-0 at home. The senior leaders joined freshman Teya Wright (Paterson, N.J.) with eight rebounds each and Kim Benton (Springfield, Pa.) dished out six assists. Stefanie Gerardot (Fort Wayne, Ind.) chipped in with eight points and joined Sakera Young (Glassboro, N.J.) with five assists each. Longwood's Courtney Dyer led all scorers with 28 points, including six 3-pointers.
The Minutewomen's 6-0 home start is the team's best since the 1995-96 season. UMass ran the table at the Mullins Center that season, 12-0, on the way to a 20-10 record and the program's first NCAA Tournament berth.
Rosanio and Mills' 9-for-11 (81.1%) shooting nights tie Mills' performance vs. Jacksonville on Nov. 23 for the best shooting performances in the Atlantic 10 this season.
Longwood jumped out to an early 13-10 lead with the help of two Courtney Dyer 3-pointers. Mills and Tatham carried the Minutewomen early, combining to score the team's first 12 points. UMass used a 24-6 run over an 8:23 span to take a 34-19 lead with 3:52 left in the first half. Eight points by Gerardot and a pair of 3-point plays by Young fueled the run. The Lancers would go on to outscore UMass, 6-2, over the final 3:24 of the opening half to send the Minutewomen into halftime with a 36-25 lead.
UMass shot 55.2% (16-29) in the first half while Longwood shot 30.3% (10-33). The Minutewomen held a big advantage on the boards in the opening 20 minutes, 25-13. Mills led the way for UMass with 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting, while Rosanio and Gerardot had eight points each. Rosanio also hauled in seven rebounds. Dyer led the Lancers with 10 first half points.
After Rosanio started the second half with two-straight baskets, Longwood outscored the Minutewomen, 18-9, over the next 8:48 to close within six, 49-43, with 9:29 to go. Mills then led an 11-2 run with six points to extend UMass' lead to 15, 60-45. The Lancers came right back with eight-straight points to cut the lead back to seven, 60-53, with 4:16 left, but Mills and Rosanio lifted UMass yet again, scoring the team's final eight points to secure the victory, 68-58.
For the game, UMass shot a season-high 56.9% (29-51), while Longwood shot 42.9% (24-56). The Minutewomen dominated the glass, 38-20, but committed 23 turnovers to the Lancers' 15.
The Minutewomen don't return to action until Saturday, Jan. 12, when they begin Atlantic 10 play by hosting Rhode Island (7-7) in a 2 p.m. tip-off at the Mullins Center.
