New Hampshire Stops Women's Basketball, 87-77, Despite Melia Basavand's Hot Shooting

Albany, N.Y. - Denise Beliveau had 17 points and Kelley Flynn added a career-high 16 off the bench to pace five player in double figures in leading New Hampshire to an 87-77 America East Conference victory over UAlbany on Friday, Jan. 22 at SEFCU Arena.

The Wildcats shot a torrid 58.8 percent from the field, including 5-of-10 from the three-point arc, in the first half. New Hampshire (7-12, AE 2-4) led 13-9, but then tallied 12 of the game's 14 points. Candace Williams, who totaled 12 points and seven rebounds, followed her missed jumper and Beliveau drilled a three-pointer to ignite the run. The sophomore forward made another long-range shot before Flynn converted in the lane for a 25-11 advantage.

UAlbany (7-11, AE 0-5) trailed by as much as 18 in the half before Melia Basavand came off the bench to connect on back-to-back 3-point shots from beyond the 22-foot mark. Flynn, a 6-foot-5 sophomore who had 12 of her scoring total before the break and grabbed eight rebounds, closed out the period with six unanswered. She made two free throws, hit a left-hander in the lane and put back a missed jumper as the horn sounded to hand her team a 48-30 halftime cushion.

The Great Danes trailed by 21 early in the second half before making a run. Basavand, who scored a career-high 21, keyed a spurt of 10 unanswered. Felicia Johnson hit a baseline jumper, before Ebone Henry followed with a 19-footer. Basavand then delivered two of her seven 3-pointers, including one from the left wing that closed the gap to 66-60 with 9:05 remaining. The freshman made 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, two the school's single-game record.

However, the Wildcats, who had dropped six of their previous seven contests, fought back with eight straight points to end the comeback attempt. Beliveau beat the shot clock with a drive from the right side and Jill McDonald converted on the left block off a lob pass. After Beliveau made a jumper from left of the lane, McDonald scored again in the post for a 14-point lead.

"We were able to do what we wanted on offense," UAlbany coach Trina Patterson said. "But it was the defense that let us down today. We need to focus on playing both side of the ball and we didn't do that in this game. When we got to within six that is when the heated needed to get turned up, but with three freshmen (in the lineup) we showed our inexperience."

Freshman Julie Forster had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Great Danes, who suffered their fifth consecutive setback. Charity Iromuanya was the third UAlbany player in twin figures with 14. The senior guard added six rebounds, three assists and three steals. McDonald and Lauren Wells had 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Wildcats, who finished the game by shooting 57.9 percent from the field.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information