Nov. 24, 2009

Box Score

Freshman G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, CT) scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as UMass Lowell defeated Southern New Hampshire, 59-56, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball tilt at the Costello Athletic Center.

The victory was the third straight for the River Hawks, who improved to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the NE-10 entering Sunday’s clash at Merrimack (1:00).

Southern New Hampshire slipped to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the Conference and visit Bentley Sunday at 1:30.

Senior F Jen Valente (Prospect, CT) added 10 points and six rebounds for UMass Lowell.

Senior G Jenny McDade (Derry, NH) led the Penmen with 20 points and 10 rebounds as she converted 7 of 11 field goals, 2 of 3 from long range and 4 of 5 free throws. Sophomore G Christine Duffy (South Boston, MA) chipped in 10 points and four rebounds, hitting 4 of 8 field goal attempts.

Southern New Hampshire outrebounded UMass Lowell 45-43, but the River Hawks posted a 16-10 edge on the offensive glass, enabling for an 18-11 advantage on second chances.

The River Hawks also had advantages in the paint (32-24) and off the bench (23-17).

"I thought we hung in there," said UML Head Coach Kathy O'Neil. "It was a team effort. J.V. and Krissy (Little, junior guard) showed good leadership."

UMass Lowell led 40-39 with 13:31 left to play and used a 12-5 run to post a 52-44 cushion with 6:08 remaining. Valente and Simmons each had four points in the run.

The River Hawks led 57-52 with 1:52 remaining, but SNHU chipped away and scored four straight points on a layup by senior F Ashara Carrington (Marblehead, MA) and a pair of free throws by McDade to come within a point with 56 seconds left.

Following a missed trey attempts by Simmons, sophomore G Megan Spanarkel (Tinton Falls, NJ) missed the front end of a one-and-one, forcing the Penmen to foul.

After freshman G Brianna Calver (Shelby, OH) meshed a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to put UMass Lowell up 59-56, a desperation 3-point attempt by junior G Libby Cullerot (Henniker, NH) was off the mark.

UMass Lowell led at the break, 30-23.