UAlbany's Megan Craig Scores a Career-High 27 Points to Lead Women's Basketball to a 62-49 Win Over Dartmouth - UAlbany Sports 2012

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information ALBANY, N.Y. -- Center Megan Craig scored a career-high 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting to lead UAlbany to a 62-49 win over Dartmouth in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes improved to 3-2 on the season, while the Big Green fell to 1-2. Dartmouth started the game with an 11-2 run over the first five minutes of play, but the Great Danes kicked it into high gear, outscoring the Big Green, 21-2, over the next ten minutes. UAlbany scored 13 straight points before Dartmouth ended the rally, before the Great Danes scored the next nine points of the game. Faziah Steen hit a jumper for the Big Green to attempt to get Dartmouth back on track, and nailed two free throws at 3:41 to cut the lead to seven, 25-18. However, Ebone Henry and Sarah Royals scored on back-to-back layups to put UAlbany back on top by 12 with under a minute to go. Abbey Schmitt connected on two free throws to cut the lead back to 10, 30-20, before halftime. UAlbany came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, building up a 40-21 lead behind eight straight points from Craig, along with a layup by Julie Forster, with 14:35 to play. Steen played the roll of rally-ender again for Dartmouth, hitting two free throws, but Craig responded immediately after at the other end of the court, to keep UAlbany ahead. Dartmouth succeeded in cutting the lead to 12, 45-33, with nine minutes on the clock, as Kamala Thompson recorded a steal and a layup. UAlbany would not fold, as Lindsey Lowrie nailed a 3-pointer with 7:28 to play, but the Big Green cut the lead back to 10 on a jumper by Thompson with 4:22 on the clock. The Great Danes continued to pressure, and Erin Coughlin scored UAlbany's final five points on two free throws and a 3-pointer. Nicola Zimmer scored the last basket of the game to set the final 13-point deficit. Steen scored a team-high 15 points for Dartmouth, while Thompson added 10 points for the Big Green. UAlbany held Dartmouth to 31.3-percent (15-48) shooting from the floor, forcing the Big Green into 26 turnovers. Besides her career-high point total, Craig added nine rebounds, one assist, and one block, while Forster recorded eight points, seven boards, and a career-high seven steals. Henry also contributed with nine points, four assists, four steals, and two blocks in 32 minutes of action. UAlbany shot 43.6-percent (24-55) from the floor, finishing with 13 steals, despite being out-rebounded by Dartmouth, 40-35. UAlbany will return to action on Wednesday, hosting NJIT in non-conference action at SEFCU Arena at 7 p.m.