Ebone Henry Leads University of Albany's Comeback Victory; Great Danes Set Division I Win Record - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore Ebone Henry had 19 points and 12 rebounds as UAlbany rallied in second half for a 65-55 victory over Stony Brook in America East Conference play on Thursday,, Feb. 17 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes posted their third consecutive win.

UAlbany (15-11, AE 8-5) trailed 48-44 with less that seven minutes remaining, but then responded with a string of 10 straight points. Melia Basavand drilled a three-point field goal to start the run. After Henry split a pair of free throws, Keyana Williams followed the second missed foul attempt to put her team ahead. Julie Forster made two more from the line, before Henry connected on a drive from the right.

Stony Brook (5-20, AE 2-11) was still within striking distance at 56-51 when Tamiel Murray hit a jumper in the lane on the move. But the Great Danes, who held their opponent to 30-percent shooting in the final half, pulled away as Henry buried a 3-point shot off a screen from the top of arc and her team added six straight points from the charity stripe.

"We switched to a 2-3 zone and got some defensive stops and we staying poised offensively the last ten minutes," said UAlbany coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team now owns their highest win total in a season since upgrading to Division I in 1999-2000. "I am happy for our seniors and proud of our players. It's not about the wins, but their growth."

In the opening period, the Seawolves reversed a 22-18 deficit with 11 unanswered to end the half. Sam Landers made a three-point field goal from the left wing to ignite that stretch, before Destiny Jacobs sank two free throws to put her squad in front. Kirsten Jeter, who had all 10 of her points in the stanza, later canned a turnaround on the left baseline and Murray hit a fastbreak layup. The Great Danes led by as much as seven before intermission before the visitors started their comeback.

Forster added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Great Danes, who also won the first meeting with Stony Brook on Jan. 18th to take the regular-season series. The Seawolves' Jacobs finished with nine points and seven rebounds, while Murray also scored nine.

"Our defense finally got it together and then our offense came around," offered Henry, who recorded her fifth double-double of the season. "They were too relaxed (offensively) against our man-to-man defense."

Paw Prints: UAlbany eclipsed the program's Division I single-season record with its 15th victory ... the Great Danes went 14-14 in the 2004-05 campaign ... UAlbany's current win total is its highest since 1996-97 ... Julie Forster scored in double figures for the 13th time this winter, including four straight ... Ebone Henry recorded her first double-double since the first meeting with Stony Brook on Jan. 18th ... Keyana Williams had six points and six rebounds off the bench ... UAlbany wore pink shoestrings in their sneakers to promote breast cancer awareness ... UAlbany remained in fifth place in the conference standings, just one game behind Hartford and Binghamton.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information