Albany, N.Y. - Despite a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds from Player of the Game Ebone Henry, UAlbany dropped its first conference game of the season, falling to Boston U., 58-54, in America East women's basketball action on Monday evening at SEFCU Arena.
After a close start to the game, Boston U. built up a six-point lead, 12-6, on a 3-pointer by Alex Young at 13:29. Back-to-back baskets by Henry and Adrienne Jones cut the Great Dane deficit back to two with 11:25 on the clock, but a free throw by Whitney Turner kept the Terriers up by three with just over ten minutes to play in the half. Henry drained a trey at the eight minute mark to tie the game for the fourth time. After Boston U.'s Rashidat Agboola sunk two shots from the charity stripe, Sarah Royals recorded a conventional three-point play to give the Great Danes the lead.
A 3-pointer from Lindsey Lowrie extended UAlbany's lead to six, 21-15, with 5:38 in the first half. Mo Moran cut into the Great Dane advantage with two free throws and a layup, but Henry kept UAlbany rolling, getting fouled on a made layup and hitting the ensuing foul shot to give the Great Danes the largest lead of the first half, 28-21, with one minute to play in the half. Agboola hit a jumper in the paint in the final minute to set the halftime score at 28-23.
Boston U. came out of the locker room firing, tying the game for the sixth time and then regaining the lead on a jumper by Caroline Stewart at 16:53. The teams exchanged the lead once more before two free throws by Stewart gave the Terriers a two point lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the game. It was not without a valiant effort by UAlbany, however, as the Great Danes battled back to cut the lead to two, 43-41, on a 3-pointer by Lowrie with 8:26 left to play. Boston U. responded, as Alex Young drained a long-range shot of her own to keep the Terriers on top.
The Great Danes could get no closer than four points for most of the remainder of the half, until a layup and foul shot by Julie Forster pulled UAlbany back within two, 56-54, with 25 seconds left to play. Moran was fouled at the other end of the court and made both shots to keep Boston U. with a two-possession lead with 13 seconds to play and the Great Danes would not get enough shots.
UAlbany outshot Boston U., going 19-54 (35.2 percent) from the floor, while the Terriers shot 34.8 percent (16-46). The Great Danes also out-rebounded the Terriers by a 40-34 margin. Jones added 10 points for UAlbany, while Forster finished with nine points and eight boards. Henry, who went 6-of-7 from the free throw line, added five assists, one steal and a block in 38 minutes of action.
Moran led Boston U. with 17 points, while Young added 13 for the Terriers. Stewart pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, and was just short of a double-double with nine points for Boston U. The Terriers now stand at the top of the conference standings with a 5-0 league record, going 12-6 overall.
UAlbany, now 11-8 overall and 5-1 in conference play, is second in the America East. The Great Danes will return to action on Thursday, hosting Vermont in league action at 7 p.m.
