Box Score

Senior G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) scored 30 points – including 22 in the second half and overtime – as UMass Lowell defeated Pace University, 96-94, Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball clash at the Goldstein Fitness Center.

The win was the sixth straight for UMass Lowell, which improved to 11-4 overall and 8-3 in the NE-10 entering Wednesday's clash at Le Moyne (5:30).

Pace slipped to 8-7 overall and 6-5 in the Conference.

Simmons converted 11 of 23 field goals – 8-12 in the second half – and also added eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Her output marked the fifth time in her last six games she has scored 30 or more points.

Simmons also moved into second place on UMass Lowell's career scoring list with 1,567 points, surpassing former standouts Sheila Knower (1994-97, 1565 points) and Rosalyn Worsley (1987-91, 1,563 points). Former standout Darlene Orlando-Ciarcia (1990-94) leads the list with 2,116 career points.

Freshman C Lindsey Doucette (Hopkinton, Mass.) added 13 points, hitting 5-7 field goals and all three attempts from 3-point range while senior Brianna Calver (Shelby, Ohio) chipped in 11 points (8-8 FT shooting), as did freshman G Melissa Frase (Tamworth, N.H.), who shot 4-7 from the field.

"We're very excited to get the 'W' today. It was a battle," said head coach Sarah Behn. "Bianca, Lindsey, Brianna (Calver) and Frase were all in double figures and many other players contributed to help get the win. We have to tighten the defense, but we are finding ways to win."

Graduate Jessica Scannell led Pace with 25 points and eight rebounds while shooting 10-13. Sophomore G Margo Hackett added 17 points, seven steals and four rebounds while shooting 6-11 from the floor.

Graduate G Brittany Shields had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists while senior G Allison Cleary chipped in 11 points and four rebounds; and sophomore G Jeane Drury 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

UMass Lowell forced Pace into 26 turnovers while committing 18, leading to a 29-21 scoring advantage in points off miscues. The River Hawks also outscored the Setters in the paint (44-26), in large part to Doucette, sophomore Demetria Bell (Braintree, Mass.), who had eight points; and senior Whitney Wilson (Lowell, Mass.), who chipped in seven.

The River Hawks also grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to Pace's nine, but second chance points were fairly even with UMass Lowell leading, 14-12.