UAlbany WBB Holds Off Stony Brook to Win 69-59, Improves to 5-0 in America East Play
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ALBANY, N.Y. – The UAlbany women's basketball team held off a late Stony Brook comeback attempt on Monday night, taking a 69-59 victory to remain undefeated in America East play at 5-0.
UAlbany (12-7, 5-0 AE) led by 20 with 10:31 left in the 2nd. Stony Brook (9-9, 2-3 AE), using some three-point field goals, pulled to within seven with 3:11 remaining. The Great Danes' defense held Stony Brook off the scoreboard for the next two-and-a-half minutes, forcing a missed three and a turnover. Shereesha Richards added a layup, with a Margarita Rosario three with just over a minute left putting the lead back to 12 and effectively sealing the game.
“We had to guard them as a three-point shooting team, which they are not [normally]” said UAlbany coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. “We knew they were a comeback team, we have to pay attention to detail on defense.”
UAlbany committed 11 turnovers to Stony Brook's 23 and hit 22 free throws to its opponent's nine, countering the visitors' 8-18 three-point shooting.
“We take pride in the press,” said Sarah Royals. “In the beginning of the year, we were rusty, but as the games have gone on, we've gotten to our spots.”
Richards scored in double digits for the 18th-straight game, finishing with 21 points and seven rebounds. Zakiya Saunders and Imani Tate each finished with 14 points, while Royals tallied nine points and seven assists.
For the Seawolves, Christa Scognamiglio scored 19 points off the bench, going 5-10 from beyond the arc. Jessica Ogunnorin scored 16 points, shooting 7-11 from the field. Sabre Proctor, who came into Monday averaging almost 16 points a game, was held to four points, committing seven turnovers.
In the opening minutes, UAlbany fired away from mid-range while Stony Brook mixed up its shot locations. Saunders scored for UAlbany on the opening possession with one, then at 5-4 UAlbany, added another. Royals arced a pass to a wide-open Richards underneath the basket to push the home team up 9-4 in the first five minutes.
The teams went back and forth as Stony Brook found a couple of shots from three, pulling to within one at 15-14. Tate hit a jumper from the free throw line, then another on a putback to return UAlbany's lead to five at 19-14 with 8:35 in the 1st.
Scognamiglio hit a wing three to pull Stony Brook within two. UAlbany responded by attacking the paint, seeing Tate and Saunders hitting consecutive jumpers. Following a Kori Bayne-Walker floater, Richards hit a layup to spark a run. Rosario added a steal and score, then Richards hit two free throws, Tiana-Jo Carter contributed a layup and Richards hit another basket to complete a 10-0 run, putting UAlbany up 33-19 with 2:42 left in the period.
Stony Brook hit another three to stop the UAlbany streak. Richards hit a layup before the end of the half as UAlbany led 36-24 at the break.
The second half started slowly for each team. Following Stony Brook hitting a basket, Royals hit free throws and a layup, then assisted Saunders on an inbounds layup to make it 42-26 in the opening minutes of the period.
Again the teams exchanged points until at 12:52, where a Royals jumper started a run. Richards added free throws, then Tate put in free throws and a layup to make the UAlbany lead 52-32. The Great Danes later led 54-34 with 10:31 remaining.
With 8:40 remaining, Ogunnorin went on a personal 9-0 run, capped by a corner three, to pull Stony Brook within nine at 56-47 with 4:21 left. Twice UAlbany free throws were countered by Scognamiglio threes as Stony Brook got to within seven at 60-53 with 3:11 left.
Following a Royals missed three, UAlbany held off Stony Brook on the next possession on a missed Scognamiglio three. UAlbany held on the next possession as Proctor turned the ball over. Tate set up Richards for a layup, then Richards drew a charge on Bayne-Walker. Rosario hit the three off the screen the next possession to put UAlbany's advantage to 12 at 65-53 with 1:04 left.
Stony Brook made a last gasp in the final minute, with six quick points from Scognamiglio pulling the Seawolves to within seven with 38 seconds left. After a Saunders free throw, Stony Brook missed a pair of shots. A couple of Tate free throws set the final score of 69-59.
UAlbany returns to the road for a Thursday, January 22nd game in Baltimore, taking on UMBC at noon.
