Box Score

Senior G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) compiled 24 points, eight steals and five assists as UMass Lowell defeated Saint Anselm College, 73-62, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball tilt at the Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.

With the win, UMass Lowell improved to 5-2 overall, matching its best seven-game start since the 2000-01 season, and 3-2 in the NE-10 entering Saturday's semester finale at Franklin Pierce (1:30).

Saint Anselm slipped to 3-5 overall and 0-5 in the Conference.

Simmons meshed 10 of 12 free throws while freshman F Amra Elezovic (Manchester, N.H.), playing in her hometown, chipped in 11 points in 25 minutes off the bench, hitting all five of her field goal attempts.

Senior F Curran Leighton came off the bench to lead Saint Anselm with 18 points as she converted 8 of 15 field goal attempts in 20 minutes. Junior F Tori Lehr added 10 points and six rebounds while shooting 5-7 from the field in reserve. Junior F Briana Jones chipped in 10 points and four assists while sophomore F Allie Jones grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in addition to eight points.

UMass Lowell outscored the Hawks from 3-point range, 36-6, as the River Hawks connected on 12 of 33 attempts – including eight in the first half – opposed to Saint Anselm's 2 of 12. Junior G Danielle DePierro (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit three treys en route to nine points.

The River Hawks also had an 11-6 edge from the free throw line. The advantages proved worthwhile as Saint Anselm shot .625 from the field (15-24) in the second half.

Trailing 46-44 with 12:44 left to play, UMass Lowell went on n 18-2 run – led by a 3-point shot and a layup by freshman Lindsey Doucette (Hopkinton, Mass.) and four points apiece from Simmons and Elezovic – to grab a 62-48 lead from which Saint Anselm never recovered.

With the score knotted 18-18 midway through the first half, the River Hawks used a 10-2 run en route to a 28-20 lead with 3:54 until the break. Freshman G Jennifer Gonsalves (Harwich, Mass.) hit a layup and Simmons a short jumper while DePierro and junior Lauren Fiola (Fall River, Mass.) each hit 3-point shots to cap the run.

UMass Lowell led at the half, 33-27.