Three Earn Double-Doubles, Saunders Sets New Season Assists Record as UAlbany Women's Basketball Defeats UMBC 63-39
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ALBANY, N.Y. – The UAlbany women's basketball team won its 10th consecutive game off three players with double-doubles, plus Zakiya Saunders setting a new program single season assist record, in a 63-39 victory vs. UMBC to kick off the annual Big Purple Growl.
“It was a chippy one, but we held them to our goal on points,” said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. “We struggled on [Taylor McCarley], she got to the basket too much. The second round will be harder, it will be intense.”
UAlbany (18-3, 9-0 AE) used a 16-0 run into the second quarter to break away in the game. UMBC (13-9, 4-5 AE) got to within single digits in the third, but UAlbany held its opponent to nine fourth quarter points to seal the victory.
Saunders earned 14 assists, setting a new single game program record and matching the America East single game record, to stand with 166 assists on the year. That mark is the new single season assists record in UAlbany history, passing Sarah Royals's mark of 159 in the 2013-14 season.
“The coaches have been preparing me, and passing the ball to Shereesha [Richards] is easy,” said Saunders. “It does not shock me anymore.”
“It's awesome, I love it,” said Shereesha Richards on her on-court relationship with Saunders. “We see eye-to-eye and we connect like a point guard should. She knows when to pass and is very well grounded.”
Saunders earned her sixth double-double of the year with 12 points and 14 assists. Richards led all players in scoring and rebounding with 25 points and 13 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the year. She is two points away from tying Jamar Wilson's mark of 2,164 points for all-time UAlbany basketball points leader, women's or men's.
As a team, UAlbany outrebounded UMBC 44-26 plus held its opponent to five points in the second quarter.
Imani Tate earned a double-double as well, her first of the year and third of her career, off 18 points and 10 rebounds. Cassandra Edwards earned a career-high nine rebounds.
For UMBC, McCarley led the team with 17 points, five assists and three steals. Capree Garner earned 11 points and seven rebounds.
Both sides made their moves in the paint to begin. Richards and Garner traded baskets early, later with McCarley adding a couple, capped by a three off a timeout to give UMBC an 11-8 advantage.
At 13-10, UAlbany held UMBC off the scoreboard the rest of the quarter and attacked on the fast break. Saunders assisted the go ahead basket to Richards, then added one at the first quarter buzzer in the paint for a 16-13 UAlbany advantage.
The run continued as Saunders kept the offense going with passes to the middle and pull-up jumpers. With the zone defense holding off UMBC on missed long threes, UAlbany kept with the shots in the paint. Saunders assisted Tiana-Jo Carter on a hard layup off the glass, then went on a personal 6-0 run. Richards added a putback layup to complete the 16-0 run and give UAlbany a 26-13 lead.
UAlbany did not allow a field goal for almost a quarter's length, with Garner hitting a long three with 2:18 left in the second. A Tate free throw made the eventual halftime score 29-18 UAlbany.
Into the third, McCarley and Saunders kept countering each other's baskets, including McCarley heaving an intended pass into the basket inadvertently from near half-court.
Again UAlbany's defense held off UMBC's shooters, avoiding a field goal for almost five minutes. UMBC got to within 10 after a Chukwuma Chiamaka layup to make it 37-27 with 3:20 left in the 3rd.
Saunders tied the single season assists record with a pass to Richards for the jumper with 2:16 left in the 3rd. With 53 seconds to go in the quarter, a kick out to Erin Coughlin for a corner three set the new record with assist #160. UAlbany eventually led 45-30 after three.
The exchanges continued into the fourth quarter as each team tried to hold on zone defense. Tate kept hitting jumpers on pull-ups in the paint, countered by McCarley drawing contact underneath the basket.
Tate kept the offense going with mid-range jumpers and got UAlbany a 17-point lead. McCarley hit a layup while fouled to make it 54-39 UAlbany with 5:12 left.
The Great Danes kept UMBC to zero points the rest of the way. Tate, Richards and Carter added late baskets as the zone defense locked down the Retrievers and sent UAlbany to victory 63-39.
The Great Danes will hit the road for its next game, taking on Vermont on Saturday, February 6th at 2 p.m.
