Albany,
N.Y. - Junior guard Ebone Henry scored her 1,000th career point,
while Lindsey Lowrie led all players with 23 points, as UAlbany defeated New
Hampshire, 60-44, in America East Conference women's basketball action on
Wednesday evening at Lundholm Gymnasium. The Great Danes, who remain in first
place in the league standings, improve to 10-7 overall and 4-0 in conference
play.
UAlbany jumped out to a quick 13-2
lead and never looked back. A 3-pointer by Lowrie, one of five in the game for
the junior, were the first points of the contest, while Julie Forster grabbed
an offensive rebound and put it back to give UAlbany a 5-0 lead three minutes
into play. New Hampshire's Morgan Frame hit a jumper to put the Wildcats on the
scoreboard, but Lowrie and Henry combined for six points on three straight
Great Dane possessions to extend the UAlbany lead to 11-2. Forster capped the
run with a jumper before Frame hit two free throws for New Hampshire with just
over 12 minutes left in the first half.
The Great Danes continued to extend
their lead as the half continued, getting up by 14 on another trey by Lowrie
before Keyana Williams put UAlbany on top, 23-7 with a jumper at 5:27. Forster
gave the Great Danes what would be their largest lead of the half, 24-7, with a
free throw, before New Hampshire's Player of the Game, Kelsey Hogan, dropped in
two free throws to cut the UAlbany advantage back to 15. Lowrie and Forster
both hit buckets to put the Great Danes back ahead by 17 in the late going, but
New Hampshire's Denise Beliveau converted a layup with just under two minutes
left to set the halftime score at 28-13.
Lowrie kicked off the second half
just like the first, draining a 3-pointer off an assist from Kate Cronin.
UAlbany continued to roll, building up a 25-point advantage on a jumper by
Lowrie at 17:14. New Hampshire's Kaylee Kilpatrick ended the Great Dane run
with a layup, but Forster responded with a jumper in the paint to keep UAlbany
ahead by a 25-point margin. A 3-pointer by Cari Reed kicked off a 9-0 run by
the Wildcats, as New Hampshire was able to cut the deficit to 14, 40-26, with
just over 13 minutes left to play. However, Henry sunk a shot from long range
to end any threat by the Wildcats, and Lowrie followed with a trey of her own
to keep the Great Danes ahead by 20, 46-26, with 10:48 left to play.
Henry scored her 1,000th
career point on the first of two free throws with just under eight minutes left
to go, which put UAlbany ahead by 22. New Hampshire continued to fight, getting
the score back under 20 three more times as the game wound down. A 7-0 run by
the Wildcats cut the Great Dane lead to 14, 56-42, but freshman Margarita
Rosario nailed two free throws to keep UAlbany with an 18-point advantage. New
Hampshire's Alexandra Leftridge scored the final basket of the game with 20
seconds remaining to set the final score.
Lowrie's 23 points on 9-of-16
shooting led three Great Danes in double figures. Henry totaled 12 points and a
team-high nine rebounds, while Forster chipped in with 11 points, eight
rebounds and two blocks. UAlbany shot 43.6-percent (24-55) from the floor,
including 41.2 percent (7-17) from 3-point range. The Great Danes also
outrebounded New Hampshire, 39-25.
Kilpatrick scored a team high 14
points for New Hampshire (8-7, AE 1-2), while Frame added eight points.
Beliveau led the Wildcats off the boards with five rebounds, while also adding
four points and three steals.
UAlbany (10-7, AE 4-0) will return
to action on Saturday, visiting Maine in America East action.
