Box Score
Senior G Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) erupted for a career-high 38 points as UMass Lowell defeated Palm Beach Atlantic University, 84-76, Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference women's basketball clash at the Rubin Center.

With the win, UMass Lowell improved to 6-4 entering Sunday's Northeast-10 Conference clash at Southern New Hampshire (1:30).

Palm Beach Atlantic suffered its third straight loss and slipped to 3-9.

Simmons' total is the second-highest single-game scoring outburst in the program's history behind 48 points scored by former standout Darlene Orlando-Ciarcia, achieved in an 87-71 win over New Haven on Feb. 7, 1994. She bested her previous career-high of 28 points.

Simmons converted 12 of 22 field goal attempts (3 of 7 from 3-point range) and 11 of 13 free throws, and scored seven of her points in the second overtime in which the River Hawks outscored Palm Beach Atlantic 10-2. She also grabbed nine rebounds, dished five assists and had four steals.

Senior G Ashley Rivera (Lowell, Mass.), making her second appearance for UMass Lowell and first start, chipped in 12 points and nine assists.

UMass Lowell's bench outscored that of PBA's, 25-6, led by nine points and five rebounds from junior F Lauren Fiola (Fall River, Mass.) and six from senior G Erika Sjoberg (Stockholm, Sweden).

Senior F Ashley Dolberry led PBA with 19 points and 19 rebounds while senior G Lynsey Poole added 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and freshman F Taylor Peterson 16 points and seven rebounds. Freshman G Kristie Mason chipped in 14 points and three assists.

UMass Lowell also outscored PBA from 3-point range, 42-21, led by three treys apiece from Simmons and Fiola. Its advantages buffered several by PBA, including second chance points (15-8, the result of a 15-11 edge on offensive rebounds) and points in the paint (30-24).

PBA led 74-70 with 25 seconds left in the first overtime, but Simmons grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed trey by Rivera, was fouled, and hit both free throws.

Following consecutive free throw misses by Dolberry, Simmons converted a layup with three seconds left to tie the score at 74-74 and was fouled. Her free throw, however, was off the mark, forcing a second overtime.

A trey by Fiola and free throws by Simmons gave UMass Lowell a 79-74 cushion midway through the second overtime. Dolberry cut the deficit to 79-76 with a pair of free throws, but Simmons meshed a trey with 1:45 left and a jumper with 54 seconds remaining to seal the win.