Box Score Feb. 20, 2010
Box Score
Sophomore F Megan Howard compiled 20 points and 10 rebounds as Saint Anselm College defeated UMass Lowell, 58-54, Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball clash at the Stoutenborough Gymnasium.
With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 16-9 overall and 12-9 in the NE-10 entering Wednesday’s regular season finale at No. 1 Franklin Pierce (5:30).
Despite the loss, the River Hawks secured home court advantage in the NE-10 Tournament, which opens Sunday, Feb. 28.
Saint Anselm improved to 10-16 overall and 7-14 in the NE-10.
Senior G Amanda McGrew (Santa Monica, CA) led UMass Lowell with 15 points – five 3-point baskets, all in the second half – and six rebounds. Sophomore Sha’Nay Bushner (Akron, OH) chipped in 11 points and four rebounds.
Howard converted 8 of 16 field goals and all four free throws while sophomore G Epiphany Smith added 19 points and four assists while shooting 5-10 from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line.
Trailing 40-35 with 8:52 left to play, Saint Anselm used a 19-4 run over the last four minutes of the game to post a 54-48 lead with 31.9 seconds remaining.
The River Hawks also committed four turnovers late in the run, three of which Saint Anselm converted into six points.
The River Hawks kept it close behind McGrew, who meshed a pair of treys in the final 15 seconds to keep within three points, but were forced to foul. Smith converted 6 of 6 free throws through the remainder of the game to ensure the win for Saint Anselm.
Saint Anselm led at the break, 22-19, and opened the second half with seven straight points to post a 29-19 lead early on. UMass Lowell answered with a 21-6 spurt, fueled by a pair of treys from McGrew and four points from freshman C Briana Szidat (Pelham, NH) to grab a 40-34 lead with 8:52 left to play.
After shooting .333 in the first half (7-21), Saint Anselm shot .542 for the second stanza (13-24) while UMass Lowell went from a .259 clip (7-27) in the first half to .345 (10-29) in the second.
Saint Anselm’s shooting buffered UMass Lowell’s 33-15 edge from 3-point range and 21-15 lead off turnovers (17 for Saint Anselm, 16 for UMass Lowell).
