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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
7-20, 3-9
Rhode Island
7-19, 1-11
Women's Hoops Fights Past URI, 75-71
February 19, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. - With a stellar performance at the free throw line, the UMass women's basketball team battled to a 75-71 victory over Rhode Island at the Mullins Center on Saturday afternoon. The win completes second series sweep of the Rams (7-19, 1-11 A-10) in the past three years for the Minutewomen, who improve to 7-10 on the year and 3-9 in conference play.
Sophomore Jasmine Watson led UMass with her third 20-point game of the season, finishing just two shy of her career high with 25, aided by 11-for-12 shooting at the charity stripe. Watson also contributed a team-leading nine rebounds and had two steals on the afternoon, as well. Senior Cerie Mosgrove followed with 14 points and seven rebounds, while classmate Megan Zullo was the third Minutewoman in double figures with 12 points to go along with six boards and three steals. Sophomore Dee Montgomery contributed nine points, senior Stephanie Lawrence chipped in with seven and freshman Kelly Robinson dished a career-high seven assists and grabbed three steals.
Behind two buckets from Lara Gaspar, Rhode Island led early and built its largest advantage of the contest, 10-5, with 13:35 remaining in the opening half. UMass quickly countered with five straight points to tie the score, beginning a 15-2 run for the Minutewomen. A three-point play by Lawrence at the 9:49 mark capped off the stretch and gave UMass an eight-point edge, 20-12, its largest of the period.
URI pulled within a possession of the Minutewomen several times before UMass pushed the margin back to eight with a layup by Watson at the 1:44 mark. However, the Rams closed the half on a 7-0 run to make it a one-point game at halftime, 34-33.
Rhode Island came out of the break by extending the run to 11-0 and climbed back on top, 38-34. The teams were separated by no more than three points until Mosgrove's layup gave the Minutewomen a 49-44 edge with 13:14 on the clock. Though the Minutewomen led by nine at the end of an 8-0 spurt, the Rams once again reeled in UMass, trimming the deficit to two on a Gaspar bucket at 10:40.
The cat-and-mouse game continued as the Minutewomen put together another run, 7-0, to once again lead by nine with 8:56 left in the frame, but URI was back within one of UMass at the 5:18 mark, courtesy of a three from Ajanae Boone. Megan Shoniker gave the Rams a brief lead on two occasions, with baskets at 3:28 and 1:55. However, Mosgrove countered with five straight points for the Minutewomen, converting a pair of free throws and then nailing a clutch three from the corner with 1:03 remaining to help seal the victory.
Rhode Island shot, 25-for-54 (46.3%) from the field, including 52% (13-for-25) in the second half, compared to UMass' 20-for-57 (35.1%) performance, but the Minutewomen made the most of the physical contest by going 31-for-34 (91.2%) at the free throw line, compared to the Rams' 16-for-24 (66.7%). UMass, though breaking the team season record for three-point field goals on the afternoon, was an uncharacteristic 4-for-18 (22.2%) from beyond the arc.
Shoniker provided the bulk of the offense for URI with 28 points and six assists. Gaspar totaled 12 points and Ashley Rivera added 10. Caitlin Kearns and Boone finished as the team's top rebounders, grabbing six apiece.
UMass will be back in action at Fordham on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. in Rose Hill Gym.
