Richards's 34 Points Leads UAlbany Women's Basketball to Knock Off Maine 64-59 to Hold Share of First Place in AE
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Photo - Shereesha Richards 2,000-Point Commemorative Ball Ceremony
ALBANY, N.Y. – In a battle of last season's conference regular season co-champions, the UAlbany women's basketball team, led by 34 points from Shereesha Richards, defeated Maine 64-59 to stay undefeated in America East play.
With the win, UAlbany (13-3, 4-0 AE) is tied for first place in the America East with Stony Brook. Maine (12-7, 3-1 AE) used an 18-6 run to pull ahead in the third quarter. With Richards leading the way, UAlbany countered with a 12-2 run and held at least a two-possession advantage the rest of the way.
“This game was about playing defense and limiting their three-point shots,” said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. “I thought we did a good job on [Liz] Wood, one of their go-to players, plus we are hard to guard.”
Richards nearly had her fifth double-double in as many games, earning game-highs with 34 points, nine rebounds and four steals. It is her fifth 30+ point performance of the year and 12th in her career. Before the game, UAlbany held a commemorative ball ceremony for Richards in celebration of her achieving 2,000 points in her collegiate career last weekend.
“We knew they were going to go over top [on defense], but when we hit our shots, it opened up everything for us,” said Richards.
Imani Tate shot 7-for-13 off the bench for 17 points, including 13 in the second half, adding two assists. Zakiya Saunders nearly had a double-double with eight points and nine assists.
For Maine, Sigi Koizar led the squad with 17 points, including 12 in the second half, and six rebounds. Mikaela Gustafsson scored all six of Maine's first quarter points and finished with 16, adding four rebounds.
Both offenses used the shot clock in the early going. After Maine hit the first basket, UAlbany looked to the baseline and perimeter for shots. Richards had an early five points, capped by a kickout three up top the arc for a 7-2 UAlbany advantage.
Richards and Saunders kept the action going, with the latter swatting away a shot from behind the Maine shooter. Richards added a steal and two free throws as she scored nine points in the first quarter, giving UAlbany a 13-6 lead by the period's end.
After an exchange of baskets in the second quarter, Maine forced turnovers off UAlbany's passing into the paint. Koizar scored five points on an 8-2 Maine streak, ended by a very deep three, to pull the visitors within one point at 17-16.
UAlbany countered in the following minutes, using the transition offense and shooting quickly on possessions. With a pair of baskets from each Richards and Saunders plus a wing three by Erin Coughlin, UAlbany finished the quarter on an 11-4 streak to go into the locker room up 30-22.
Using the perimeter and the free throw line, Maine built an 8-0 run out of halftime to tie the game at 30-30. After some exchanges, Maine took a 37-34 lead on a Sophie Weckstrom three-pointer with 5:25 left in the 3rd.
Starting with two Tate free throws, UAlbany pushed back ahead with a 7-0 run, including a feed from Saunders to Richards in the air for the alley-oop off the glass, to make it 46-39 UAlbany. Richards added four more late points as UAlbany led 50-41 after three.
Early fouls on UAlbany on Maine put the Black Bears on the free throw line in the opening minutes of the fourth, bringing the visitors to within six four minutes in. After a long UAlbany possession of two offensive rebounds but no points, Gustafsson got a layup to pull Maine within four at 54-40 with four minutes left.
At 56-52 with three minutes remaining, UAlbany zone defense held and forced a shot clock violation. The other way, Tate hit a pull-up jumper, then forced a steal the other way under the basket, leading to a Richards layup for a 60-52 UAlbany lead with 1:38 left.
After Maine pulled back to within six, UAlbany drained the shot clock on the next possession as Tate hit the jumper from the top of the lane to repair the lead to eight. Despite a couple of late Maine baskets, UAlbany held against the Maine press the rest of the way and took the 64-59 victory.
UAlbany will have a quick turnaround as the Great Danes travel to Vestal to take on SUNY rival Binghamton on Monday, January 18th at 2 p.m.
