Fairfield, Conn. - Alisa Apo scored a game-high 17 points to lead Sacred Heart to a 61-52 win over UAlbany in non-conference women's basketball action at the William H. Pitt Center on Wednesday evening, handing the Great Danes their first loss of the season.

            Sacred Heart built up a 13-6 lead in the early goings of the game before UAlbany embarked on an 8-0 run to get up by one, 14-13, with 9:11 to play. A jumper by Ebone Henry was sandwiched by 3-pointers by Melia Basavand during the stretch. The Pioneers ended the Great Dane rally with two free throws by Callan Taylor, which she followed with a jump shot in the lane to give Sacred Heart a 17-16 lead with 7:16 left to play. Basavand converted a runner in the paint on the next possession to put UAlbany back ahead.

            The Pioneers regained control after a basket by Maureen Reilly and two free throws by Apo put Sacred Heart back on top, 21-20. Maggie Cosgrove converted a layup, putting the Pioneers up by three, 23-20, with 4:30 left to play. UAlbany went without a basket for almost three and a half minutes before Adrienne Jones found room in the lane to end the Great Dane scoring drought with 2:37 on the clock. Taylor followed with back-to-back baskets for four of her 12 first-half points, giving Sacred Heart a 28-24 lead at the break.

            UAlbany, which trailed at the half of just one other game this season, pressured to start the second half, but Sacred Heart kept firing, and held onto a three-point, 33-30, lead at the first media timeout at 14:53. UAlbany attempted to use the momentum off a block by Julie Forster to pull within 40-42 on a fast-break layup by Cassandra Callaway, but Taylor hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to put Sacred Heart back in control.

After Callaway's basket at 10:35, the Great Danes were held scoreless until 7:47, as Henry hit a 3-pointer to pull UAlbany within 47-43. Apo hit another trey for Sacred Heart at 7:01, before the Great Danes embarked on a 5-2 run sparked by Henry. Consecutive baskets by Julie Forster pulled UAlbany within 56-50, but Sacred Heart used strong free throw shooting down the stretch to hold onto the win.

Henry led the Great Danes with 16 points, while Makopondo and Basavand chipped in with eight points apiece. Forster pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for UAlbany, while also scoring six points, handing out four assists, and recording two steals and a block. Callan finished with a double-double for Sacred Heart, tying Apo with a game-best 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Cosgrove also finished with double-digit points for the Pioneers, adding 11.

Despite out-rebounding the Pioneers, 37-31, UAlbany only shot 36.6 percent from the field, while Sacred Heart converted 43.7-percent of its shots from the floor. The Pioneers also made it to the charity stripe 20 times, hitting 14 shots, while UAlbany converted just five baskets from the line.

Sacred Heart 61, UAlbany 52 (12/01/10 at Fairfield, CT - William H. Pitt Center)

ALBANY 52

Sacred Heart 61