University of Albany Women's Basketball Records 63-47 Win Over Niagara in Non-Conference Action - UAlbany Sports 2010

Niagara Univ., N.Y. - Cassandra Callaway scored a game-high 13 points, while Ebone Henry reached double-figure scoring totals for the 10th straight time to lead UAlbany to a 63-47 win over Niagara in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.

Henry, who finished with ten points, started off the action, hitting a 3-pointer just 17 seconds into play and give the Great Danes a lead that they would never relinquish. UAlbany built up a nine-point lead, 11-2, five minutes into the game on a trey by Callaway, before Niagara would cut the lead to two with a 9-0 run capped on a shot from beyond the 3-point line by Ali Morris. Noelle Zletni hit one-of-two free throws at the 11-minute mark to pull Niagara within one, but that would be as close as the Purple Eagles would get. UAlbany would embark on an 8-2 run, including a 3-pointer from Felicia Johnson, to get ahead, 19-12, with just over nine minutes left to play.

The Great Danes would continue to build their lead over the remainder of the half, getting ahead by as many as 12, 33-21, on another trey from Melia Basavand with 2:17 on the clock. Katie Gattuso hit one free throw, but UAlbany forward Tabitha Makopondo converted two shots from the line as the clock wound down to give the Great Danes a 35-22 halftime advantage.

UAlbany, which tied a season-high with eight 3-pointers in the game, continued to rally in the second half, as Callaway hit another shot from downtown at 16:53 to put the Great Danes ahead by 18, 43-25. Julie Forster, who finished just short of a double-double with nine points and 14 rebounds, added two points to give UAlbany a 20-point advantage at 45-25 with just over 15 minutes to play. The Great Danes would hold their biggest lead of the game at 7:45 on Basavand's second 3-pointer of the day to put UAlbany on top, 56-29. Niagara cut into the lead, getting within 15 late in the game on a free throw by Shy Britton, but Sara Bender would respond in the waning seconds to set the final margin.

"Our defense always dictates our offense," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team recorded double-digit steals for the fourth time, and held the opposing team to under 30-percent shooting for the third time this season. "We played overall Albany team basketball. Ebone had key defense on [Liz Flooks] to hold her to four points, and Cassandra and Adrienne [Jones] put tons of pressure on their point guards to disrupt their offense.

Gattuso led the Purple Eagles with 13 points, including a 5-of-8 performance from the free throw line, while also handing out five assists. Sletni also scored double-digit points, with 10, along with three rebounds, one assist and one steal. The Great Danes forced Niagara into 24 turnovers, including 12 steals, with five thefts from Henry, who also grabbed five boards. Forster recorded five assists and three steals, while Johnson handed out three helpers to go along with seven points.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information