Feb. 24, 2009

Box Score

Senior G Stephanie Houghton and junior F Ashara Carrington each scored 13 points and combined for 14 rebounds as Southern New Hampshire defeated UMass Lowell, 59-55, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball clash at the SNHU Fieldhouse.

With the loss, UMass Lowell ends its season with an 8-19 overall record and a 5-17 clip in the NE-10. SNHU improved to 17-10 overall and 12-10 in the Conference.

Junior F Jen Valente (Prospect, CT) led UMass Lowell with 14 points and six rebounds while junior G Rahshala Valentine (Cincinnati, OH) added 13 points and three assists. Junior G Megan Berry (Ipswich, MA) chipped in 11 points and five rebounds.

Carrington grabbed eight rebounds and converted 4 of 6 field goals and 5 of 6 free throws while Houghton snatched six rebounds.

The Penmen enjoyed a 23-4 advantage from the free throw line, compensating for UMass Lowell’s advantages on field goals (24-16), in the paint (38-22) and second chances (12-8), the latter the result of a 14-8 edge on the offensive glass.

UMass Lowell led 26-25 at the break, but the Penmen opened the second half with a 16-5 run to grab a 41-31 lead with 12:12 left to play. Senior G Alyssa Whitney scored six points to fuel the run.

The River Hawks, however, answered with a 16-4 tear – led by a pair of treys from Berry – to knot the score 47-47 with 6:09 left to play.

A pair of free throws by junior F Julia Houghtaling gave SNHU a 56-53 lead, and following a UML turnover, the Penmen converted 3 of 4 free throws to snatch a 59-53 cushion with 10.4 seconds left.