University of Albany's Forster Records Double-Double to Lead Women Basketball to 71-39 Rout of Maine - UAlbany Sports 2013

ALBANY, N.Y. - UAlbany had five players score in double digits for the first time since 2008, led by Julie Forster, who recorded a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds, as the Great Danes posted a 71-39 win over Maine in America East Conference women's basketball action on Saturday evening at SEFCU Arena. UAlbany improves to 12-3 overall, and 3-0 in league play, while Maine drops to 1-15 and 0-3. The Great Danes got out to an uncharacteristically slow start, with the Black Bears scoring the first basket of the game. However, a bucket by Ebone Henry and an old-fashioned three-point play by Forster tied the game at 5-5 at the first media timeout of the half at 15:58. Lindsey Lowrie drained a 3-pointer from the right side of the arc coming out of the break to give UAlbany its first lead of the game. From there, the Great Danes embarked on an 8-2 run, to push their advantage to 14-7 before Ashleigh Roberts ended the rally with a basket at 9:34.Lowrie helped UAlbany build up a 10-point lead, 21-11, with 7:17 left to play, after draining back-to-back 3-pointers. After an additional trey by Henry at 5:21, the Great Danes finished out the half by going on an 11-2 run, capped off by a jumper by Forster with 21 seconds to go, sending UAlbany to the locker room with a 34-16 lead. The Great Danes continued their rout in the second half, as Margarita Rosario drained a 3-pointer to put UAlbany up by 20, 44-24, with 14:47 to play. Forster followed with the next five points for the Great Danes on a jumper and a 3-pointer before Maine ended the run with a jumper by Mikaela Gustafsson. However, the Black Bears had no answer for UAlbany, as the Great Danes extended their lead to 32, 66-34, with 4:30 left to play in the game. Behind strong performances from bench players Shereesha Richards, who totaled 10 points, nine rebounds, and five steals, and Megan Craig, who added 12 points, the Great Danes rolled to the finish, defeating their third straight opponent by a giant margin. In the first three games of the league slate, UAlbany is winning by an average of 37 points. Along with Forster, Richards, and Craig, Henry and Lowrie netted 12 points apiece. Lowrie and Sarah Royals also handed out five assists each, helping the Great Danes reach the 20-assist mark for the first time since 2004. UAlbany shot 42.9 percent (27-63) from the floor, and outrebounded Maine, 46-28. "We are playing as hard as we can," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team faces New Hampshire in their next contest. "We have lots of players who are x-factors. We move and share the ball, and it's more fun for them to play that way. They are hungry and humble, and we want to stay that way." The Great Danes will host New Hampshire in league play on Wednesday at noon, in the annual Commitment to Education Day, welcoming over 1,100 local elementary school students to SEFCU Arena.