Box Score (PDF) | Harris Interview

ALBANY, N.Y. – Asia Mitchell-Owens (Roxbury, Mass.) scored a team-high 21 points and Markayla Sherman (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in a career-high 14, but the UMass Lowell (3-11, 0-1) women's basketball team fell in its America East opener, 93-69, to the UAlbany Great Danes (7-7, 1-0) on Wednesday night.
 
The Roxbury, Mass. native finished her night shooting 6-of-9 from the field, going a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range to end the game just one point shy of her personal best.
 
"I thought UAlbany came out and did what we expected them to do," remarked Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "They were able to expose our weaknesses in the half court, but I didn't anticipate our turnover numbers, we've been doing a lot better with that lately. Asia Mitchell-Owens had a phenomenal game, and going five-of-five from three is great for her confidence but we still need to work on our offense as a team."

After the Great Danes opened a quick 4-0 lead, Sherman and Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) brought the River Hawks within 6-4, before UAlbany went on a 6-0 run to take a 12-4 advantage into the first media timeout.
 
Mitchell-Owens came out of the break and drilled a three at the shot clock buzzer, but the Great Danes responded with a 10-0 run to take a 22-7 lead with 85 seconds left in the first. Sherman scored five consecutive points as the River Hawks entered the second frame trailing 26-12.
 
UMass Lowell opened the second on an 8-3 run, behind a pair of three-point plays from Mitchell-Owens and Tyshay Britten (Norristown, Pa.), and cut in the UAlbany lead to 29-20. Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) connected on a pair of threes in the final minutes of the half to send the River Hawks into halftime trailing 52-28.
 
Mitchell-Owens scored eight straight UMass Lowell points to end the third as she cracked double figures for the second consecutive game. The push brought the River Hawks within 71-50 entering the fourth.
 
The Great Danes were led by Imani Tate's 22 and Jessica Fequiere's 20 points. Khepera Stokes dished out a game-high nine assists, and Tate had seven of her own.
 
UMass Lowell hosts the Binghamton Bearcats in the squad's conference home opener on January 7 at 2 p.m.