West Hartford, Conn. ? Janea Aiken had 18 points and Charity Iromuanya added a season-high 15 in leading UAlbany to a 63-43 victory over Maine in the first round of the America East Conference Women's Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 12 at the University of Hartford's Chase Arena. The Great Danes advance to meet top-seed and regular-season champion Boston University in Friday's quarterfinals at 2:00 p.m.
UAlbany (6-24) led 30-24 early in the second half, but then took control with 19 unanswered over an eight-minute stretch. Iromunanya, a junior guard, canned her second 3-point field goal of the game to push the lead to double figures. Britney McGee, who had 11 of her 14 points after halftime, then netted nine straight. She made two three-pointers, one from the left wing and another from right of the key, before finishing off a fastbreak following a steal.
Aiken, a sophomore who scored in twin figures for the 21st time this season, added four points as the decisive run continued. She knifed her way into the lane from the left side and made two free throws. Felicia Johnson gave her team a commanding 49-24 advantage with 11:55 to play by sinking a right baseline jumper.
The Great Danes, who were playing in the America East's opening round for the third time in the last four years, never saw their lead dip below 17 points the rest of the way. UAlbany, the eighth seed in this tournament, held Maine (5-25) to 26.7-percent shooting in the final period on 8-of-30 attempts.
“We really wanted to get after them on the boards, and we did a great job on defensive rebounding,” said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson, whose team held an opponent under 50 points for the seventh time this season. “I think if you can play defense and rebound in any tournament game and get yourself some good shots, you are going to do well."
The Black Bears, who had defeated UAlbany both times in the teams' previous two conference postseason tournament matchups, ran off nine unanswered to take a 14-9 lead in the opening half. Amanda Tewksbury, a junior guard who led her club with 11 points, scored after collecting an offensive rebound to put Maine ahead. Colleen Kilmurray, who contributed nine points and five rebounds, added a three-point play when she was fouled on a turnaround in transition.
The Great Danes stilled trailed 18-15, but then went on a 10-1 run. Aiken, who had 14 first-half points, converted a fastbreak layup following Johnson's steal to help her team regain the lead. Tabitha Makopondo made two free throws and Iromuanya, who made 5-of-9 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds, drilled a three-pointer from left of the key off a kick-out pass from Kate Cronin to finish off that outburst.
Aiken, who set the program's single-season scoring mark by a sophomore in the contest, later went coast-to-coast with a defensive rebound. She was fouled by Brittany Boser while making the layup for a three-point play. Makopondo's 10-footer on the right baseline would give the Great Danes a 30-22 halftime cushion. The opening period featured four ties and three lead changes.
“We took a lot of pride in our defense tonight,” offered Iromuanya, who posted her highest scoring total since last year's regular-season finale at Boston U. “We did not want the person we were guarding to score on us. When (Brittany) Boser went to the bench with her fourth foul, it opened up a lot of things for our guards as well as our forwards. That is why I believe we were able to make that run with her out."
UAlbany will next meet a Boston University squad that won the conference's regular-season crown outright for the first time by becoming the fifth team in America East history to go undefeated in league play.
“It has been a real ride this season for my confidence,” explained Iromuanya, who recorded a double-double in last year's America East quarterfinal win over Binghamton. “I have been looking to attack more and get to the hole. My teammates have also had a lot of confidence in me. It was just a matter of time. Now I don't want to stop."
