Box Score Junior G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) scored a game-high 23 points – including 16 in the pivotal second half – to lead UMass Lowell over Stonehill, 71-56, Wednesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball clash at the Costello Athletic Center.

The win was UMass Lowell's second straight and third in four games as it improved to 9-14 overall and 7-11 in the Conference entering Saturday's game at Merrimack (1:00).

Stonehill slipped to 11-11 overall and 7-11 in the NE-10 and hosts Saint Michael's Saturday at 1:30.

Simmons, who was honored prior to tipoff for scoring her 1,000^th career point in a Jan. 25 loss at Saint Rose, also grabbed eight rebounds and dished five assists. Senior F Sha'Nay Bushner (Akron, Ohio) compiled 13 points, a career-high 16 rebounds and six steals.

“(Sha'Nay) has had a couple great games in a row,” said head coach Sarah Behn. “She rebounds, she gets a lot of steals. She's a big reason why we were able to come back tonight.”

Junior G Brianna Calver (Shelby, Ohio) chipped in 11 points – including eight in the second half – and dished four assists while shooting 4 for 5 from the field and 2-3 from 3-point range.

Freshman G Amy Pelletier led Stonehill with 16 points on 6-8 field goal shooting (4-5 from 3-point range) while sophomore F Asia Ewing chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Senior G Priscilla Dodoo added 11 points and five rebounds.

UMass Lowell struggled from the floor in the first half, shooting only .257 (9-35) while Stonehill shot significantly better (.440, 11-25). The River Hawks found their collective touch in the second half, however, shooting .500 (15-30) from the field while Stonehill shot .379 (11-29).

UMass Lowell forced the Skyhawks into 22 turnovers while committing 13, which enabled it to outscore them 31-7 off turnovers.

“At the right time we tried an unconventional defense (triangle and two) and it disrupted them,” Behn said. “We were due for a little luck and a momentum change, and it happened to work tonight at the same time and the right time.”

Led by Calver, UMass Lowell also outscored the Stonehill bench, 22-4. Junior F Brianna Wilson (Lowell, Mass.) chipped in seven points and five rebounds, including five in a late run.

The Skyhawks led 44-29 five minutes into the second half but UMass Lowell came alive with a 31-7 outburst to snatch a 60-51 lead with 3:00 left to play. Bushner scored 11 points in the run while Simmons added six and Wilson five.

Dodoo hit a layup to bring Stonehill with seven (60-53), but Simmons added a jumper and a pair of free throws to give UMass Lowell a 64-53 cushion with 1:12 left to play.

“When we got the lid off, we got into a little groove,” Behn said. “We've been saying to the kids all week that this is our playoffs. We can't take a break. We want to do everything we can to get us a chance to make it.”