SCORE: UAlbany 54, New Hampshire 46
 
LOCATION: Broadview Center - Albany, N.Y.
 
RECORDS: UAlbany 18-2, 7-0 America East | New Hampshire 8-13, 2-6 America East
 
SHORT STORY: The Great Danes started strong with a 19-2 advantage in the first quarter. Despite New Hampshire's attempts to close the point gap, UAlbany was able to finish with an eight-point win, 54-46, Saturday afternoon.

COACH COLLEEN MULLEN: "We started the game off strong but unfortunately we had some foul trouble and that got us a bit frazzled. UNH did a good job of wearing us down with pressure and at times that led to turnovers and some empty possessions. New Hampshire is a tough, scrappy, physical team and we knew they weren't going to go away. The team found a way and I am extremely proud of how they gutted out the win."
 
KEY STATS

• Senior Kayla Cooper led the team with seven rebounds and 11 points.
• Graduate student Helene Haegerstrand tallied a team-high 12 points.
• Graduate student Sarah Karpell served as the floor general with a game-high six assists and a team-high three steals.
• Junior Meghan Huerter notched three three-pointers in the first quarter alone.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Allowing just two points in the first quarter, the Great Danes held the Wildcats to zero field goals in the first 10 minutes of action.
• Starting hot, graduate student Sarah Karpell assisted three consecutive three-pointers to put UAlbany up, 9-0, after four minutes of play.
• New Hampshire tallied two free throws but a 10-0 scoring run for the Great Danes, including two three-pointers for junior Meghan Huerter, made it a 19-2 game at the end of the quarter.
• The Wildcats picked up the pressure in the second quarter. Closing the gap to 21-7 with a 5-2 run, New Hampshire forced four UAlbany turnovers in the first three minutes of the second quarter.
• Holding the Great Danes from shooting, the Wildcats led the scoring in the quarter, 13-7.
• UAlbany entered halftime with an 11-point advantage despite a low-scoring second quarter.
• New Hampshire kept up its defensive pressure through the third quarter.
• Allowing just four field goals, the Wildcats outscored the Great Danes, 14-8, to close UAlbany's lead to 34-29.
• The final quarter proved to be the most equal of the four quarters. 
• The Great Danes extended their lead to 12 with a quarter-opening 10-2 scoring run.
• After trading points, New Hampshire closed the gap to four points, 48-44, with eight unanswered points.
• UAlbany returned to its double-digit lead as Cooper scored five points in a 6-0 run.
• The Wildcats got the last say to make it an eight-point win, 54-46, for the Great Danes.

 
NEXT: UAlbany will continue at home against Vermont for their International Players' Night and Spread Respect Game on Thursday (Feb. 1).
 
For more information on the University at Albany women's basketball team, follow the squad's official social media accounts shown below.
Twitter - @ualbanywbb
Instagram & Threads - @ualbanywbb
Facebook – facebook.com/UAlbanyWBB