Richards' 31 Points Paces UAlbany WBB to 93-57 Win over UMass Lowell in Big Purple Growl
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ALBANY, N.Y. – With all 10 Great Danes scoring, the UAlbany women's basketball team, led by Shereesha Richards netting 31 points, crushed UMass Lowell 93-57 to kick off the 2015 Big Purple Growl.
“I feel like Shereesha [Richards] got the right amount of touches, and we made adjustments during the game,” said UAlbany coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. “Overall, it was a great team effort because everyone was involved in the game.”
UAlbany (17-7, 10-1 AE) used a 16-1 run in the first half and did not look back, not allowing a field goal inside the perimeter to UMass Lowell (10-13, 4-7 AE) in that period. UAlbany, which outscored its opponent 64-12 in the paint, shot 60.3% from the field, while UMass Lowell was 39.5%.
With the victory, UAlbany retains first place in the America East by a full game at 10-1 on second-place Maine at 8-1.
Richards went 13-19 from the field for 31 points, tied for the 13th-highest single game scoring day in UAlbany WBB history, adding seven rebounds. She moved into 2nd all-time in UAlbany WBB scoring history with 1,483 points, passing Rainny Lesane.
“We moved the ball around well and played great defense,” said Richards. “When we get the defense going, it makes everything work well.”
Zakiya Saunders earned her first collegiate double-double, finishing with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Two other Great Danes earned double digit scoring: Imani Tate finished with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals off the bench while Sarah Royals tallied 11 points and five assists.
“If we go out there and play defense, and if we play hard, we know we are going to get the win,” said Saunders.
For UML, Melissa Frase was 3-4 from the perimeter, concluding with 11 points. Kayla Gibbs had nine points off the bench.
Each side started in a zone, with UAlbany going to the paint and UML shooting for three. The defense ruled early as Cassandra Edwards hit a layup on UAlbany's second possession, which was countered by a Shannon Samuels bank three to give the visitors a 3-2 lead in the first four minutes.
UAlbany continued to go inside and found success. At 6-6, Tiana-Jo Carter hit a layup while bumped for the and one. Following a Jasmine McRoy three, Carter again hit a layup while fouled. The free throw was not good, but Richards hit the putback layup for a 13-9 UAlbany lead.
The Great Danes held the River Hawks without a field goal for over six-and-a-half minutes. UAlbany kept going into the paint, with a couple of Richards layups sparking a long run. Tate hit two jumpers in a row, then Royals added a pair of fastbreak layups. Erin Coughlin finished the run with a corner three to push UAlbany ahead 29-11 with 6:46 left in the half.
Frase stopped the UAlbany streak with a wing three. The home team countered with Royals free throws and a couple of Saunders jumpers for a 6-0 run. Again Frase hit a three, which Jessica Fequiere countered with one of her own off the wing. Richards added a layup next possession to make it 40-17 UAlbany with 2:23 left.
UAlbany hits the last two shots of the period, with the last being a Bose Aiyalogbe jumper off the window. UAlbany went into the locker room up 46-21.
Richards hit UAlbany's first two baskets of the half, the last on a one-hand floater from the paint. The points went back and forth as the score was UAlbany 54, UMass Lowell 34 with 15:29 left.
Back into the paint the Great Danes went as Richards scored four-straight points, adding a Saunders layup and a Tate layup for a quick 8-0 run over a span of 90 seconds. After a Gibbs layup, Royals set up Richards for the layup, then got one of her own on the fast break for a 66-36 UAlbany advantage with 13:07 left.
The teams again went back and forth as the sides exchanged points the next seven minutes. With 7:57 left, Richards hit a jumper to give her the 31-point day, pushing UAlbany to a 77-45 lead.
UAlbany put in its reserves as Aiyalogbe and Fequiere each contributed points down the stretch. Off late free throws, UAlbany built on the lead, then with 41 seconds left, Margarita Rosario hit a layup to be the 10th Great Dane to score. UAlbany eventually took the 93-57 victory.
Next up for UAlbany is the Commitment to Education game on Wednesday, February 11th as the Great Danes take on Binghamton at noon at the SEFCU Arena.
