Albany, N.Y. - Cassandra Callaway netted a game-high 20 points, going 8-of-9 from the free throw line to lead UAlbany to a 68-59 win over New Hampshire on Wednesday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. The game, which tipped off at 12 noon, was the Great Danes' annual Commitment to Education Day, sponsored by GE and CDPHP. UAlbany welcomed 793 students and 75 teachers from 11 local elementary schools to campus.

            The teams played a tight start to the game, exchanging the lead several times before New Hampshire took a 10-11 advantage on a 3-pointer by Kelsey Hogan. UAlbany responded with a jumper by Megan Craig, but the Wildcats scored the game's next six points to build up a 17-12 lead with 10:21 left to play. UAlbany cut the lead back to two on a long-range shot from Callaway, but New Hampshire came firing back, getting 3-pointer from Denise Beliveau and two free throws by Morgan Frame, giving the Wildcats a 22-15 lead with just over eight minutes left to play.

            UAlbany then embarked on a 10-2 run, taking a one-point lead on a trey from Lindsey Lowrie with 5:45 left to play. After Lowrie put the Great Danes back on top, New Hampshire scored the next ten points of the game to reverse the run and take a nine-point advantage, 34-25, with 1:20 on the clock on a Hogan 3-pointer. Callaway dropped in two free throws before the half to cut the deficit to seven as the teams hit the locker rooms.

            The Great Danes came out of the halftime break battling, and cut the lead to three, 42-39 on a layup by Ebone Henry at 14:25. New Hampshire continued to fight back, holding onto a four-point advantage with just under 12:00 to go after a layup by Cari Reed. UAlbany cut the lead to one, then took a 46-45 lead on back-to-back baskets by Henry and Julie Forster, but Reed nailed a 3-pointer to put the Wildcats back on top. UAlbany took the final lead of the game at 7:25, on a conventional 3-point play by Callaway.

            On the ensuing New Hampshire possession, Sarah Royals recorded a steal and passed the ball up to Adrienne Jones, who converted the fast-break layup to give UAlbany a 55-50 lead. The Great Danes continued to roll, building up a nine-point lead, 59-50 with six minutes to play. New Hampshire cut the deficit back to four behind four points by Beliveau and another trey from Reed, but UAlbany went 5-of-6 from the free throw line in the closing minute to set the final score.

            Beliveau and Frame both recorded double-doubles for New Hampshire (12-11, AE 5-6). Player of the Game Beliveau finished with 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Frame totaled 18 points and 10 boards. The Wildcats out-rebounded UAlbany, 44-36.

            Callaway, UAlbany's Player of the Game, led three players in double-figure scoring for the Great Danes. Henry totaled 15 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Jones finished with 12 points and two steals. Forster grabbed a team-best 12 boards, while chipping in with six points.