Shereesha Richards Earns 1000th Rebound, UAlbany Women's Basketball Back in Win Column with 62-49 Victory at Stony Brook
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Postgame Interviews - Coach Abe | Shereesha Richards
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The UAlbany women's basketball team picked up an important road victory at Stony Brook on Wednesday night as the Great Danes won 62-49, seeing Shereesha Richards notch her 1,000th career rebound.
“Last year, we came here and lost this game, so we wanted to make sure we came back and got this win,” said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. “We didn't play great as our team is tired, but we have a bye week coming up, and we'll get a little rest.”
Leading by six with eight minutes left to play, UAlbany (22-4, 13-1 AE) broke away with an 8-0 run in about four minutes against Stony Brook (16-11, 8-6 AE), leading by at least eight the rest of the way. UAlbany outrebounded Stony Brook 34-22 in the game, including Richards's nine to reach 1,000.
“We knew we had to come out and get the win,” said Richards. “We had to step up our defense, and we stepped it up in the fourth quarter.”
Richards is now one of just three active NCAA women's basketball players with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. She also moved into fifth in America East history in scoring, standing with 2,245 points.
With the win, UAlbany moves into first place in the America East at 13-1, standing a half-game ahead of Maine at 12-1.
Richards's 20 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line, and nine rebounds led all players. Imani Tate also nearly picked up a double-double off 16 points, eight assists and three steals. Zakiya Saunders notched 15 points, off 6-for-9 shooting, seven rebounds and three assists.
For Stony Brook, Aaliyah Worley shot 6-for-10 for 14 points. Ogechi Anyagaligbo got 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
UAlbany focused its attention in the paint early as Richards scored quickly off the tipoff. After a three from Kori Bayne-Walker, Saunders hit a long jumper, followed by Richards and Tate drawing contact for free throws for a 9-3 UAlbany lead after 4:30.
After a couple of exchanges, UAlbany's zone defense held Stony Brook off the scoreboard the final 4:30 of the 1st. Tate added a running layup while Tiana-Jo Carter added two free throws as UAlbany led 15-7 after one.
Stony Brook broke its drought with a corner three by Worley. Erin Coughlin responded with her own three in the corner, then Tate stole the ball, ending in Richards hitting a jumping layup for a 20-10 UAlbany advantage with 7:38 left in the 2nd.
With a couple of threes from Worley and Christa Scognamiglio, Stony Brook pulled to within four at 22-18. At 25-20, Saunders and Tate put a quick 4-0 run together to keep UAlbany up by multiple possessions. Tate hit the only jumper in the final 2:31 of the 2nd as UAlbany took a 31-23 lead into the locker room.
The home team got two quick layups as UAlbany did not score for almost three minutes. A Carter block and Richards layup through a double team broke the drought, but Richards picked up her fourth foul as UAlbany led 35-27 with six minutes left in the 3rd.
Without their leader, the UAlbany defense held Stony Brook to just one field goal in the final five minutes. Saunders and Tate hit jumpers as UAlbany kept the lead, holding a 43-35 advantage after three quarters.
Some early exchanges put Stony Brook within six in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter.
On Stony Brook possession, Carter blocked a layup attempt by Brittany Snow, which led to Tate hitting a layup and one in transition the other way. Following an SBU missed three, again UAlbany attacked quickly as Richards hit the layup from Tate for a 50-39 UAlbany lead.
The UAlbany defense continued to hold as Richards pulled down an offensive board, passed to Carter who hit the layup off the glass. Saunders added a free throw to complete the 8-0 run and give UAlbany a 53-39 advantage with under five minutes left.
Stony Brook hit the next three baskets to pull within eight with 2:43 left, again getting to that mark with 1:44 remaining. A Richards mid-range jumper from Tate towards the end of the shot clock gave UAlbany a 57-47 lead with 1:18 left to play. Richards got her ninth rebound, and 1,000th of her career, with 1:01 to play, pulling down Worley's missed jumper.
The Great Danes led by double digits the rest of the way, using late free throws to take the 62-49 victory.
UAlbany will play its final two America East games at home, starting with UMass Lowell on Thursday, February 25th at 7 p.m.
