University of Massachusets Athletics

Sunday, December 13
Amherst, Mass.
2 p.m.

University of Massachusetts

5-1,1-0Atlantic 10

63
vs
61

St. John's

2-3,0-1Big East

1
2
3
4
F
St. John's (NY)
24
11
16
10
61
Massachusetts
17
16
12
18
63
Photo by: Chris Tucci - UMass Athletics

Breen’s Buzzer-Beater Caps Comeback Win Over St. John’s

December 13, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Massachusetts takes epic 63-61 decision at the Mullins Center

AMHERST, Mass. – In one of the most entertaining games in recent program history, University of Massachusetts women's basketball earned a 63-61 victory over St. John's at Mullins Center on Sunday. Sam Breen sealed the win with a buzzer-beating layup, an exclamation point on Breen's second straight double-double and third of the season.
 
The sequence finishing with Breen began when Maddie Sims drew a foul with 3.2 seconds remaining in a 61-61 game. Sims missed the second free throw, but Sydney Taylor was in prime position for the rebound on the right block. Taylor's shot attempt fell short of the rim, but Breen grabbed the loose change with less than a second to go and put home a right-hand layup.  
Breen had a game-high 22 points on 10-of-23 shooting, pulling down 13 rebounds as well. Taylor had 15 points and Destiney Philoxy (12 points, 9 assists) once again was one dime short of a double-double. Taylor had three steals and Breen logged two blocks.
 
Not to be lost in the shuffle was that Massachusetts (5-1) had to come back from 14 points down. The Red Storm scored the first eight points of the game and led by an 18-4 score with 5:57 on the first quarter clock before UMass began to chip away. Still trailing by double-digits with 2:26 left in third period, the squad went on a 21-8 run in next 10 minutes to retake the lead and set the stage for the edge-of-your-seat finish.
 
It marked UMass' first buzzer-beating win since Hailey Leidel lifted the Minutewomen to a 61-59 triumph at Rhode Island on Jan. 28, 2018.
 
Qadashah Hoppie led the Red Storm (2-3) with 21 points in the loss.
 
The Minutewomen will now break for the holidays and are next scheduled to play Fri., Jan. 1, 2021 as the squad resumes Atlantic 10 play at Saint Joseph's.
 
Follow UMass women's basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@UMassWBB).
 

Team Stats

SJU
UMass
FG%
.373
.419
3FG%
.348
.333
FT%
.692
.385
RB
43
36
TO
21
14
STL
9
9

Game Leaders

Pts
22
FGM
10
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1

Players Mentioned

F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
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