University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Providence
Women's Basketball Drops 75-63 Decision To Providence
December 03, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2008
Box Score |
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AMHERST, Mass. - Despite an evenly-played second half, the UMass women's basketball team was unable to overcome a sluggish opening period and dropped a 75-63 decision to Providence on Wednesday night in the Mullins Center. It marked the first loss for the Minutewomen (3-4) at home against a non-conference foe in nearly two years when the squad fell to Delaware, 62-63, on Dec. 17, 2006. The Friars improve to 3-4 on the year following their victory.
Senior Stefanie Gerardot had a team-best 16 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Teya Wright grabbed seven boards, as well, and had three steals. Behind Gerardot, sophomore Stephanie Lawrence totaled 12 points to set a new career high and matched her career best in rebounds with five.
The third and final player to reach double figures for the Minutewomen was sophomore Cerie Mosgrove who managed 10 points on the evening. Freshman Kristina Danella contributed her highest rebound total of the season with six.
In the opening 2:27 of the contest, UMass made three of its first five field goal attempts for a 7-6 edge over Providence, which proved to be the first and only lead the Minutewomen would hold on the night. During the next 10 minutes of play, the Friars strung together a 21-2 run to build their largest advantage of the contest, 18, at 27-9. UMass made just four field goals in the final 17 minutes, 33 seconds, of the first period and went into halftime trailing 36-24.
The Minutewomen closed the gap to 10 on several occasions in the second before finally trimming the Providence lead to nine at 51-42 with 11:12 remaining in the half on a free-throw by Danella. Two consecutive baskets by Sakera Young made it a five-point game at 51-46, but that was as close as UMass would come. A free throw from Emily Cournoyer at 9:33 and a pair of three-pointers by Brittany Dorsey followed to give the Friars back a 12-point advantage, which they rode to the final buzzer.
Providence's Cournoyer led all scorers with 18 points, aided by 7-for-8 shooting at the charity stripe, and had three blocks. Catherine Bove and Dorsey followed with 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Lola Wells added nine points, five assists and four steals. Chelsea Marandola had a game-high 10 rebounds and Mi-Khida Hankins tallied four blocks.
The Minutewomen shot 90% from the free-throw line (18-20), but were just 3-for-18 (16.7%) from three-point range and shot 34.4% (21-61) in the game overall. The Friars finished the night shooting 41.3% (26-63) overall, 35% (7-20) from beyond the arc and 80% (16-20) on free throws.
UMass will be back in action this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7, when the squad will travel to the Brown Classic to play Long Island and Brown. Both contests are slated for 4 p.m. starts.
