Jan. 28, 2012

Box Score Post Game Interview and Highlights

Junior G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) compiled 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists as UMass Lowell defeated the University of New Haven Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball clash at the Costello Athletic Center.

The victory halted a four-game losing skid for UMass Lowell, which improved to 7-13 overall and 5-10 in the NE-10 entering Tuesday's home game against Saint Michael's (5:30).

New Haven slipped to 2-17 overall and 2-13 in the Conference.

Simmons meshed 10 of 17 field goal attempts, 3-4 from 3-point range and a pair of free throws as her 25 points marked a season-high. Junior G Brianna Calver (Shelby, Ohio) came off the bench to score 11 points and dish six assists while senior F Sha'nay Bushner (Akron, Ohio) added 11 points (4-8 field goals), four assists and four rebounds.

Junior F Brianna Wilson (Lowell, Mass.) also had 11 points and four rebounds on 4-8 field goal shooting.

Freshman C Ashley LeBlanc led New Haven with 18 points and eight rebounds while shooting 7-11 from the floor. Junior G Nikita Reddy added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists while freshman F Bria Moore chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds.

Sophomore G Ahn Dao Tran scored 13 points and dished out eight assists.

UMass Lowell enjoyed one of its best shooting days of the season as it shot a collective .544 (31-57), including .550 from 3-point range (11-20). New Haven shot .406 (26-44) for the game and .323 (10-31) from long range.

Led by Calver, the UMass Lowell reserves outscored those of New Haven, 21-10. The advantages compensated for New Haven's 20-15 edge off the offensive glass, which led to a 22-8 edge on second chance points.

UMass Lowell raced out to a 27-9 lead to start the game, fueled by nine points from Bushner. The Chargers, however, found their touch and used a 17-6 spurt to cut the lead to 33-26 with 3:05 left in the half. Reddy led the run with seven points.

UMass Lowell led at the break, 42-29, and opened the second half with a 6-2 spurt, led by consecutive treys by Simmons, to post a 50-32 cushion just two minutes in. The Chargers wouldn't go away, however, and turned a 64-50 deficit with 12:24 remaining into a seven-point game (66-59) with 8:13 left to play.

Reddy capped the run with a trey.

UMass Lowell responded with six straight points, including a conventional 3-point play by sophomore G Danielle DePierro (Tewksbury, Mass.), to grab a 76-63 lead with 6:22 left to play.

The Chargers cut the lead to seven once again, but could not move any closer.