Nov. 18, 2009

 

Box Score

Junior F Logan Pintka compiled 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead Saint Michael's College over UMass Lowell, 60-59, Wednesday night in the Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball opener at the Ross Sports Center.

With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 0-1 entering a busy weekend. The River Hawks host the Valley Cup Classic Saturday against Caldwell College at 3:00 and Sunday against Bloomfield College at 3:00.

Bentley meets Bloomfield Saturday at 1:00 and Caldwell Sunday at 1:00.

Saint Michael's improved to 1-0.

Senior G Rahshala Valentine (Cincinnati, OH) led the River Hawks with 19 points (8 of 14 field goal shooting), four assists and four rebounds while freshman G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, CT) chipped in 14 points. Senior F Jen Valente (Prospect, CT) chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds.

"We played hard," said UML Head Coach Kathy O'Neil. "We got into some foul trouble, but we still hung in there. I thought we got to the rim well and got some opportunities."

Senior F Michelle Otey chipped in 18 points, hitting 8 of 16 field goal attempts, including a jumper with :04 left in the game to seal the win for the Purple Knights.

Both teams were plagued by turnovers as UMass Lowell committed 29 and Saint Michael's 25. The Purple Knights outscored UMass Lowell 18-8 from the free throw line to offset UMass Lowell's 15-8 edge on offensive rebounds.

Saint Michael's used a 15-4 run midway through the second half to snatch a 47-37 lead with 8:51 left to play. Pintka scored 10 points in the run, including a 3-point shot and a conventional 3-point play.

The River Hawks countered with seven straight points - led by a 3-point play by Valentine - to cut the lead to 47-44 with 7:55 left to play.

The Purple Knights posted a 54-46 lead with 5:28 left and seemed to have the game in hand, but the River Hawks used a 13-4 spurt - led by another conventional 3-point play from Valentine and a trey by Simmons - to grab a 59-58 lead with 31 seconds left.

After Otey converted the deciding jumper, a 3-point attempt by Simmons at the horn was off the mark.

UMass Lowell led at the half, 28-25.