Boston, Mass. - Cassandra
Callaway scored a career-high 25 points to lead UAlbany to a 77-68 win over Boston U.
in America East Conference women's basketball action at Case Gymnasium on
Wednesday evening. The Great Danes ended a six-game losing streak to BU,
handing the Terriers their first conference loss of the season and keeping the
program from reaching its 500th win.
The teams kept it tight to start the game, with
UAlbany holding a 9-8 advantage at the first media timeout at 14:16. Callaway
hit a jumper and a 3-pointer from the left side of the arc in that stretch,
before Alex Young drained a trey from the right wing to put BU up, 11-9. The
teams continued to exchange baskets, with the score tied up at 16-16 after two
free throws by Julie Forster. Young hit her second 3-pointer of the game with
10:38 on the clock to put Boston
U. ahead, 19-16.
Callaway, who totaled 14 first-half points, hit three
consecutive baskets, including her second three pointer of the game, to put the
Great Danes ahead, 29-28, with 4:14 left to play. Back-to-back jumpers in the
lane by Caroline Stewart put the Terriers back on top, but Melia Basavand came
off the bench to drain consecutive 3-pointers to give the Great Danes a 35-32
advantage with just over two minutes on the clock. A conventional 3-point play
by Cashman tied the game at 35-all, before Johnson and Moran exchanged layups
to send the teams to the locker rooms knotted at 37-37.
The teams started the second half much like the
first, exchanging baskets to remain tied until Johnson hit two free throws at
16:03 to put UAlbany up 43-41. However, Chantal Alford, who was held scoreless
in the first half, was fouled on a runner in the lane, making the ensuing free
throw to give BU a one-point lead. Alford recorded a steal on the ensuing
UAlbany possession, and converted a layup to put the Terriers ahead, 46-43, with
just over 15 minutes to play.
Boston U. then embarked on an 8-0
run, as Young was fouled on a 3-point attempt and converted all three free
throws, followed by a jumper by Rashidat Agboola and a trey by Alford, putting
the Terriers up, 54-47, at the 12-minute media timeout. Henry ended the run for
UAlbany, smacking away a cross-court pass for one of her five steals, laying
the ball in with 10:47 left to play. That started an 18-5 run for the Great
Danes, which gave UAlbany a 65-59 lead with 4:51 on the clock after Callaway
hit a long-range 3-pointer, en route to earning America East Player of the Game
honors. Strong free throw shooting down the stretch sealed the victory up for
UAlbany, as Callaway and Henry combined to hit 9-of-10 shots from the charity
stripe in the waning minutes.
UAlbany (13-11, AE 6-5) shot a season-high 49.1
percent from the floor, including 35.3 percent from 3-point range. The teams
were equal off the boards, each pulling down 34 total rebounds, but the Great
Danes made the best of their opportunities from the free throw line, converting
19-of-25 shots from the stripe, while Boston U.
went 9-of-14 from the line.
Moran led five Boston U.
(13-10AE 10-1) players in double figures with a team-high 15 points. Young
chipped in with 14 points, while Alford finished with 13, all in the second
half. Kerry Cashman and Stewart both scored 10 points for the Terriers, while
finishing with eight and seven rebounds, respectively. Forster and Johnson also
reached double-figure scoring totals for UAlbany, adding 14 and 13 points.