Feb. 12, 2011

Box Score

Led by 25 points apiece from junior forward Sha'nay Bushner (Akron, Ohio), her career high, and sophomore Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.), the UMass Lowell women's basketball team captured a 74-61 victory at Merrimack College on Saturday in North Andover, Mass.

With the conference win, UMass Lowell improves to 9-14 overall with an 8-11 mark in Northeast-10 action. The Warriors fall to 10-13 on the year and hold a 9-11 record in conference play.

"Bianca and Sha'Nay really controlled the tempo of the game," said Head Coach Kathy O'Neil. "I think it was a team effort where everyone contributed, but those two really stepped up big."

Although the Warriors grabbed the first basket of the tilt, UMass Lowell followed up with a 7-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Erika Sjoberg (Stockholm, Sweden), putting the River Hawks up 7-2 three minutes into the game.

Despite building as much as a seven-point advantage, Merrimack chipped away at the River Hawk lead, and after a 20-all tie with nine minutes left in the first, the River Hawks streaked to an 11-2 run that put them up 31-22, holding the Warriors without a field goal for nearly six minutes during that stretch.

UMass Lowell held its opponent at a comfortable distance the remainder of the half until Merrimack's Taneka Brown hit a short jumper at the buzzer to bring the Warriors within six, making it a 39-33 game at the break.

The Warriors started the second strong, inching back within a point of the River Hawks at 41-40 with a three-point play just over two minutes into the stanza. The River Hawks responded with an 11-0 run to go up 52-40 minutes later.

Every time the Warriors would get within striking distance, the River Hawks fought back, refusing to relinquish their lead. Four consecutive River Hawk tallies came from Simmons as the squad played the final quarter of regulation. Merrimack was unable to get a stop, as UMass Lowell hung on for the 13-point victory.

Bushner had already tallied 14 of her 25 points by the half, while Simmons had 14 in the second. Bushner recorded a double-double, also grabbing 11 rebounds in the game, going 11-15 from the floor. She also dished a pair of assists and grabbed as many steals. Simmons grabbed six boards and had four assists in the game.

Sophomore center Briana Szidat (Pelham, N.H.) had 10 boards and seven points in the victory, also recording three blocks. Sjoberg finished the game with six boards in addition to her three points, while forward Sarah Bennett (Newark, Ohio) had four points and as many rebounds in the tilt.

Merrimack was led by 15 points from Gennifer Roy, while Kelly Schatzlein also scored in double-figures with 11 points. She led the team with eight rebounds, as well.

UMass Lowell held the 46-39 advantage on the glass and shot 46.2% in the game compared to 34.3% from the Warriors. The River Hawks held the 40-26 advantage in the paint in the contest.

The squad looks to make it four in a row as they head to Bentley on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. for their final road game of the regular season. They will then return home to Costello Athletic Center to host Saint Anselm on Saturday, Feb. 19 and Franklin Pierce on Wednesday, Feb. 23.