University of Massachusets Athletics
Wednesday, February 23
Amherst, Mass.
7 PM
University of Massachusetts
22-6,10-4Atlantic 10
66
vs
57
VCU
14-9,9-4Atlantic 10
1
2
3
4
F
VCU
12
17
18
10
57
Massachusetts
16
15
21
14
66
Photo by: Chris Tucci - UMass Athletics
Women’s Basketball Defeats VCU, 66-57, In Final Home Contest Of The Regular Season
February 23, 2022 | Women's Basketball
Taylor led with 23 points while Breen collected 17th double-double of the year.
AMHERST, Mass. – A 23-point performance from junior Sydney Taylor and a double-double from graduate student Sam Breen aided the University of Massachusetts women's basketball team to a 66-57 victory over Virginia Commonwealth University in its regular season home finale on Wednesday night at the Mullins Center. Breen tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds to earn her 17th double-double of the season and 40th of her career.
UMass improved to 22-6 overall on the season and 10-4 in the Atlantic 10 conference, while VCU fell to 14-12 overall and 5-9 in the league.
Angelique Ngalakulondi followed behind Taylor and Breen with 10 points, recording her 11th double figure contest of the year. Taylor also led the Minutewomen in blocks with a career best three, while Destiney Philoxy finished with a game-high five assists.
Massachusetts and VCU were even with points in the paint with 26 each. UMass shot a 47.2 field goal percentage and was 12-for-18 (.667) from the free throw line on the night.
UMass set the pace early, getting off to a quick start with a 7-0 run in the opening two minutes. VCU's Taya Robinson got the Rams on the board with a jumper, but Breen made her jumper to bring the score to 9-2. The Minutewomen and Rams traded two points apiece, before VCU knocked down its first three of the game, making it an 11-7 contest. The two teams kept the score close as the each totaled five more points to end the first quarter 16-12, in favor of UMass.
The second quarter saw Massachusetts and VCU keep the points even, as the two programs notched nine points apiece to bring the game to a score of 25-21, but back-to-back triples from VCU gave the Rams a 27-25 lead on a 7-0 run. Ber'Nyah Mayo knotted the score up a 27-27 at the 2:37 mark, before adding two more points to put the Minutewomen on top 29-27. The Rams brought the game to a 29-29 draw with 38 seconds remaining in the second, but 28 seconds later, Breen made a jumper to help UMass regain a 31-29 lead.
The third quarter began the same with the two teams keeping the score close, as VCU had a slight 8-6 advantage in points through the first two minutes and 58 seconds and tie the game up at 37-37. Breen was sent to the charity stripe at the 6:33 mark of the third, sinking both shots for UMass to hold a 39-37 lead. VCU grabbed a small 44-43 lead at the 2:59 mark, but a 9-3 run for the Minutewomen finished the quarter with UMass on top, 52-47.
VCU started the final frame with a 7-4 run that elapsed for four minutes and 18 seconds, bringing them back within two at 56-54. Massachsuetts concluded the game with a 10-3 run, as Taylor and Philoxy tallied six points each and ended with a score of 66-57.
Massachusetts travels to Saint Louis for its final regular season game on Saturday, February 26 at 8 p.m., on ESPN+.
UMass improved to 22-6 overall on the season and 10-4 in the Atlantic 10 conference, while VCU fell to 14-12 overall and 5-9 in the league.
Angelique Ngalakulondi followed behind Taylor and Breen with 10 points, recording her 11th double figure contest of the year. Taylor also led the Minutewomen in blocks with a career best three, while Destiney Philoxy finished with a game-high five assists.
Massachusetts and VCU were even with points in the paint with 26 each. UMass shot a 47.2 field goal percentage and was 12-for-18 (.667) from the free throw line on the night.
UMass set the pace early, getting off to a quick start with a 7-0 run in the opening two minutes. VCU's Taya Robinson got the Rams on the board with a jumper, but Breen made her jumper to bring the score to 9-2. The Minutewomen and Rams traded two points apiece, before VCU knocked down its first three of the game, making it an 11-7 contest. The two teams kept the score close as the each totaled five more points to end the first quarter 16-12, in favor of UMass.
The second quarter saw Massachusetts and VCU keep the points even, as the two programs notched nine points apiece to bring the game to a score of 25-21, but back-to-back triples from VCU gave the Rams a 27-25 lead on a 7-0 run. Ber'Nyah Mayo knotted the score up a 27-27 at the 2:37 mark, before adding two more points to put the Minutewomen on top 29-27. The Rams brought the game to a 29-29 draw with 38 seconds remaining in the second, but 28 seconds later, Breen made a jumper to help UMass regain a 31-29 lead.
The third quarter began the same with the two teams keeping the score close, as VCU had a slight 8-6 advantage in points through the first two minutes and 58 seconds and tie the game up at 37-37. Breen was sent to the charity stripe at the 6:33 mark of the third, sinking both shots for UMass to hold a 39-37 lead. VCU grabbed a small 44-43 lead at the 2:59 mark, but a 9-3 run for the Minutewomen finished the quarter with UMass on top, 52-47.
VCU started the final frame with a 7-4 run that elapsed for four minutes and 18 seconds, bringing them back within two at 56-54. Massachsuetts concluded the game with a 10-3 run, as Taylor and Philoxy tallied six points each and ended with a score of 66-57.
Massachusetts travels to Saint Louis for its final regular season game on Saturday, February 26 at 8 p.m., on ESPN+.
Team Stats
VCU
UMass
FG%
.407
.472
3FG%
.300
.222
FT%
.583
.667
RB
32
30
TO
13
12
STL
6
8
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
6
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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