Big Start Helps Women’s Basketball Over Mississippi Valley State

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Mississippi Valley	10	7	19	10	46
Massachusetts	27	22	30	6	85

Mississippi Valley

Massachusetts

EDINBURG, Texas – University of Massachusetts junior Genesis Rivera tied the program's single-game record with seven made three-point field goals as the Minutewomen defeated Mississippi Valley State, 85-46, on Saturday at UTRGV Fieldhouse. With 10 points and 13 rebounds, Maggie Mulligan also earned her 23rd career double-double in the win.

The Minutewomen head back to New England owners of a 5-4 record, while MVSU drops to 0-6 on the season. As a result of their performances at the two-day UTRGV Battle on the Border, Mulligan and Rivera were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Hailey Leidel (25) Rivera (23), Paige McCormick (15) and Mulligan (10) rounded out the double-figure scorers on the day for UMass. Hampton-Bey had seven assists for the second consecutive day.

Massachusetts came out on fire, trailing for less than 30 seconds in the opening moments of the game before regaining the lead for good. Rivera hit a triple with 9:07 on the clock, the first of seven in the quarter for the Minutewomen and the first of her 18 points in the period. As a team, seven of UMass' nine field goals in the first quarter came from beyond the arc. That ultimately snowballed into 13 on the day, one short of tying the program's single-game best.

The Minutewomen also dominated in the rebounding column throughout first half with a 26-10 advantage on the glass.

After a Kristy Parker layup for MVSU early in the third quarter, Massachusetts picked up right where it left off in the first half, countering with a 15-4 run, helped by baskets from downtown by Leidel and Rivera. That would prove instrumental for the Minutewomen in swelling their lead to as much as 43 in the latter stages of the third quarter.

For the game, UMass was 28-of-63 (44.4 percent) from the field, including 13-of-28 (46.4 percent) from three-point land. At the charity stripe, the Minutewomen missed just one free throw all day, turning in a 16-of-17 (94.1 percent) clip.

MVSU was held to 24.6 percent (24.6 percent) from the field and just 10.5 percent (2-of-19) from three-point territory. Parker had a team-high 16 points and Chyna Sawyers followed with 10 of her own. LaKendra Bassett grabbed eight rebounds, had four steals and dished out four assists, each of which led the Devilettes.

The Minutewomen play four of their next six games within the confines of the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts and begin that stretch against Fisher College on Thurs., Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.

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Scoreboard