Women’s Basketball Defeats Stony Brook to Remain in Third in America East Standings

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Senior forward Kristin Higy scored a team-high 17 points while classmate Gia Sanders became UAlbany’s all-time leading shot-blocker as the Great Danes swept the season series with Stony Brook, defeating the Seawolves 65-58 in America East Conference women’s basketball action on Saturday afternoon at SBU Arena.

The teams exchanged baskets to start the game, and Stony Brook moved to within one at 15-14 with 7:27 left to play on back-to-back jumpers by Misha Horsey. UAlbany then embarked on a 9-0 run to build up a 24-14 advantage with just over four minutes left to play as Higy nailed a 3-pointer from the right side of the arc.

Stony Brook’s Dana Ferraro converted a conventional three-point play with 3:44 on the clock to cut the Great Danes’ lead back to single digits, but a trey from freshman guard Janea Aiken at 3:37 gave UAlbany back a 10-point lead, 27-17. The Seawolves defense held UAlbany scoreless for the remainder of the half, while Kirsten Jeter hit a jumper from the top of the key with 1:32 left to play to set the halftime margin at 27-19.

Higy hit her third 3-pointer at 18:04 of the second half, but Stony Brook went on a 9-2 run to pull within one, 34-33, on a running layup by Aly Young at 14:25. The Seawolves continued their run, tying the score and then taking the lead on two free throws by Jeter.

The Great Danes broke their scoring drought at 12:10, regaining the lead on a 3-pointer by Aiken. The teams exchanged baskets, with Stony Brook holding a 42-41 advantage with 9:31 to play on back-to-back baskets by Ferraro, who finished with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

UAlbany held a 46-45 lead with 7:45 on the clock on a turn-around jumper by TaNika Thrower. The Great Danes pulled ahead by three, 53-50, on a three-point play by Aiken, but consecutive baskets by Crystal Rushin put Stony Brook up, 54-53, with just over four minutes left to play.

Higy grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on her shot, hitting the ensuing free throw to give the Great Danes a 58-54 advantage with just under two minutes to play. Charity Iromuanya made a steal on Stony Brook’s next possession, and passed the ball ahead to Sanders, who hit the fast break layup to put UAlbany up by six with 1:42 left to play. Iromuanya, who went 6-of-8 from the line for the game to finish with eight points, knocked down two free throws with 1:29 on the clock to increase the Great Danes’ lead to 62-54.

"We have a lot of experience in close games,” said UAlbany head coach Trina Patterson, whose team has won seven of its last eight games. “Thinking back to November and December, we lost them, but the sign of a good team is showing maturity and poise down the stretch, and now we can win these games. This was a must win on our route to finishing in the top three of the conference."
UAlbany (11-15, AE 9-4) used strong free throw shooting down the stretch to hold on for the final seven-point margin. Aiken finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for the Great Danes, while sophomore guard Britney McGee handed out five assists for the second straight game and grabbed seven caroms to help UAlbany to a season-high 50 team rebounds.

Young scored a team-high 18 points for Stony Brook (6-19, AE 1-11) while Jeter chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds. The Seawolves forced UAlbany into 18 turnovers and held the Great Danes to a 32.8 shooting percentage from the floor.



Albany 65, Stony Brook 58 (2/23/08 at Stony Brook, N.Y. (Stony Brook Arena))

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Box Score



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Official Basketball Box Score
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Official Basketball Box ScoreAlbany vs Stony Brook2/23/08 2:05 p.m. at Stony Brook, N.Y. (Stony Brook Arena)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------VISITORS: Albany 11-15, 9-4 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN02 McGee, Britney...... * 1-9 0-4 1-2 1 6 7 3 3 5 5 0 1 3705 Thrower, Tanika..... * 2-8 0-1 2-3 1 3 4 2 6 2 3 0 2 2023 Iromuanya, Charity.. * 1-4 0-1 6-8 4 3 7 2 8 1 1 0 1 2124 Sanders, Gia........ * 3-8 0-2 0-2 2 2 4 4 6 0 2 3 0 2631 Higy, Kristin....... * 5-11 3-6 4-5 1 2 3 3 17 0 1 0 1 3501 Ford, Amira......... 0-3 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 610 Aiken, Janea........ 4-8 2-3 3-3 3 5 8 1 13 2 2 0 0 2314 Clements, Kim....... 2-2 0-0 1-1 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 915 Mikus, Sherri....... 3-11 0-0 1-2 5 3 8 2 7 0 3 0 1 1944 Sterling, Joy....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 155 Peterson, Kirsten... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 TEAM................ 6 2 8 Totals.............. 21-64 5-17 18-26 24 26 50 18 65 10 18 3 7 200TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 9-33 27.3% 2nd Half: 12-31 38.7% Game: 32.8% DEADB3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-10 30.0% 2nd Half: 2-7 28.6% Game: 29.4% REBSF Throw % 1st Half: 6-7 85.7% 2nd Half: 12-19 63.2% Game: 69.2% 2--------------------------------------------------------------------------------HOME TEAM: Stony Brook 6-19, 1-11 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN01 NUNN, Kairsten...... * 1-5 0-1 2-2 2 3 5 2 4 1 3 0 1 2103 FERRARO, Dana....... * 4-10 0-1 2-3 4 7 11 5 10 2 0 1 1 3504 HORSEY, Misha....... * 3-9 1-2 0-2 0 2 2 1 7 1 3 0 4 3715 YOUNG, Aly.......... * 6-16 0-1 6-8 1 6 7 4 18 4 1 1 0 3832 JETER, Kirsten...... * 4-12 0-0 2-4 4 3 7 4 10 0 5 0 0 3105 PLIKUS, Jodie....... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 611 NORWOOD, Samantha... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 221 ETOL, Kim........... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 223 RUSHIN, Crystal..... 2-6 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 1231 DAVIS, Cheri........ 1-1 0-0 3-4 1 2 3 5 5 0 1 2 1 16 TEAM................ 4 2 6 1 Totals.............. 21-60 1-6 15-23 16 25 41 25 58 8 14 4 9 200TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 7-29 24.1% 2nd Half: 14-31 45.2% Game: 35.0% DEADB3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 0-2 0.0% 2nd Half: 1-4 25.0% Game: 16.7% REBSF Throw % 1st Half: 5-8 62.5% 2nd Half: 10-15 66.7% Game: 65.2% 5--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Officials: Kathleen Lynch, Norma Jones, John OrminskiTechnical fouls: Albany-McGee, Britney. Stony Brook-FERRARO, Dana.Attendance: 424Score by Periods 1st 2nd TotalAlbany........................ 27 38 - 65Stony Brook................... 19 39 - 58ID-618894