University of Albany's Charity Iromuanya & Julie Forster Win America East Weekly Basketball Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Charity Iromuanya and Julie Forster have been chosen America East Conference Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively, in women's basketball, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Feb. 22. It is the first honor of the season for both players, who helped the Great Danes win two of three games last week.

Iromuanya, a senior guard from Lincoln, Neb. who entered the week having never scored more than 20 points, averaged 22.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in the three games. In a 65-51 win over Binghamton on Feb. 15, the senior tallied 14 of her 22 points in the second half. The 22 points was a career high at the time. She also shot 8-for-13 from the field and made all four of her three-point field goal attempts. Defensively, she held Erica Carter, who was ranked third nationally in three-point field goals per game, to just three points and no field goals from beyond the arc. After netting a team-high 15 points in UAlbany's 51-40 loss to UMBC on Feb. 18, the team captain scored a career-high 29 points to lead her team to a 64-62 overtime victory over New Hampshire on Feb. 21. She also added nine rebounds and a team-leading six assists. Iromuanya grabbed an offensive rebound and put back what later proved to be the game-winning shot in overtime. She also followed her own miss and converted a layup as time expired in the first half.

Forster, a freshman forward from Huntington, N.Y., averaged 7.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in three games. In the process, she broke Danielle Hutcheson's single-season program record for rebounds by a freshman. The walk-on player started the week by falling just shy of a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds in the team's 14-point win over Binghamton. After contributing six points and 11 rebounds in a setback against UMBC, Forster eclipsed Hutcheson's standard by grabbing 20 boards in UAlbany's overtime victory at New Hampshire. Her rebound total was a single-game conference best by an America East player this season and fell just shy of breaking the program's single-game record of 22, registered by Casey Stanley versus Nazareth on Feb. 22, 1992. Forster now leads the league in rebounding (8.4 pg) and has pulled down 226 this season. Hutcheson finished the 2001-02 campaign with 216 boards.

UAlbany (10-17, AE 3-11) controls its own destiny and can finish as high as seventh in the regular-season standings if it can register wins in the final week of the season against 24th-ranked Hartford on Feb. 24 and Maine on Feb. 27. Iromuanya, the team's lone senior, will be recognized for her contributions to the program prior to the home finale versus the Hawks.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Iromuanya's Career Night and Big Second Half Propels Women's Basketball Past Binghamton

Albany, N.Y. - Charity Iromuanya scored 14 of her career-high 22 points in the second half and defensively helped keep one of the nation's top three-point shooters in check to propel the UAlbany women's basketball team to a 65-51 win over Binghamton on Monday, Feb. 15 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who were supporting the WBCA's "Pink Zone" initiative to raise awareness of Breast Cancer, forced the Bearcats to shoot a season-low 21.5 percent from the floor to earn their second America East Conference win in the past three games.

Binghamton (9-17, AE 5-8), which had won the last three meetings between the teams by an average margin of four points, rallied from a three-point halftime deficit and regained the lead at the 17:14 mark when Andrea Holmes made a shot from the right elbow in transition. Iromuanya then scored seven of the Great Danes' next nine points, which included burying a three-point field goal at the 13:51 mark to break a 34-34 deadlock.

The Bearcats drew even at 41 apiece at the midway point of the frame when Viive Rebane sank two free throws, but UAlbany broke loose by embarking on a 13-2 run. Julie Forster and Iromuanya combined for all of UAlbany's scoring during the stretch. A layup by Ebone Henry, who was named the league's rookie of the week earlier in the day, increased the margin to double digits the rest of the way, and Keyana Williams' free throws with 29 seconds remaining gave the Great Danes their largest lead at 14 points and sealed the final outcome.

"The thing that impressed me the most was that these kids showed they could come back after losing two days ago," said head coach Trina Patterson, whose squad will hit the road to face UMBC on Thursday, Feb. 18. "We kept the foot on the gas pedal (when we got the lead in the second half), and we really focused on playing two offensive halves and two defensive halves. To me, those were our two biggest accomplishments. We also took Erica Carter and Viive Rebane out of the game, and Charity was definitely our MVP tonight."

UAlbany (9-16, AE 2-10) used a balanced scoring attack to jump out to a 13-3 lead by the second media timeout. Defensively, the Great Danes forced the Bearcats to miss 14 of their first 15 shots. The conference's top three-point shooting team fought back and went on a 16-2 run by using the long ball and offensive rebounding to get to the free throw line. A trifecta by Jackie Ward from the right corner put Binghamton ahead for the first time since the opening minutes at the 6:14 mark.

The end of the half featured a wild string of events in the final 40 seconds. With the Great Danes trailing 22-21, Felicia Johnson made a three-point field goal from the top of the key with 18 seconds left. UAlbany maintained possession due to a foul called off the ball, and Iromuanya took advantage of the situation by drilling a shot from beyond the arc to give the hosts a five-point lead with 15 ticks remaining. Holmes' jumper on the ensuing play beat the buzzer, but the hosts still went into the recess with a 27-24 advantage.

"I was able to shoot the ball well, but it felt like somebody got an assist off of almost every shot that I made," added Iromuanya, who was 8-of-13 from the field and was named the team's player of the game. "Felicia and everybody else on the floor were doing a great job of passing and moving the ball, and that helped me to knock down my shots."

In addition to netting a career-best 22 points, Iromuanya shot a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and 2-for-2 from the free throw line to lead the Great Danes. Along with Henry, who added six points and five rebounds, the duo combined to hold Carter, who ranked third nationally in three-point field goals per game, to just three points and no field goals from behind the arc. Johnson added 14 points and four assists, while Forster finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Holmes, who was named Binghamton's player of the game, finished with a double-double on 19 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four assists. Ward added 11 points, and Rebane grabbed 12 boards while being limited to just four points.



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Ebone Henry Named America East Conference Rookie of the Week in Women's Basketball - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Ebone Henry has been chosen America East Conference Rookie of the week in women's basketball, as announced on Monday, Feb. 15 by the conference office. Henry is the second UAlbany player to earn the league's weekly rookie award this season.

Henry, a freshman from San Diego, Calif., averaged 24.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in a pair of games last week. She scored a career-high 26 points, including seven in overtime, as the Great Danes snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 59-52 triumph over Stony Brook on Feb. 10. Henry, who added nine rebounds and three steals, established the program's Division I freshman single-game scoring record and produced the highest point total by a UAlbany player this season.

Henry also had 22 points and nine rebounds in a 69-65 loss to Boston University on Feb. 13. She made a career-best five 3-point field goals. The 5-foot-10 swing player leads the Great Danes in scoring at 10.8 points per game and is averaging 5.3 rebounds.

Paw Prints: UAlbany is home against Binghamton on Monday, Feb. 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the annual Pink Zone game to publicize Breast Cancer Awareness ... Charity Iromuanya (9.9 ppg) has moved to eighth on the program's career steals list with 202 ... Iromuanya, a senior guard, will be honored prior to the final home game of the season against Hartford on Wednesday, Feb. 24 ... Julie Forster is on pace to break the freshman single-season rebounding mark ... Forster has 187 rebounds and needs 30 to break Danielle Hutcheson's standard.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Completes Non-Conference Slate With 64-55 Victory Over Brown - UAlbany Sports 2010

Providence, R.I. - Felicia Johnson scored 16 points to pace four Great Danes in double figures and lead UAlbany to a 64-55 win over Brown on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at the Pizzitola Sports Center. With the victory, the Great Danes surpassed last season's win total and will enter Sunday's America East Conference opener at Vermont with their best 13-game record as a Division I program.

UAlbany (7-6), which led by two points at halftime, scored the first 10 points of the second half to break the game open. Johnson and Ebone Henry each netted a field goal and a pair of free throws to give their team a double-digit lead for the first time, as Brown struggled to penetrate UAlbany's 1-3-1 zone trap.

Brown (3-10) rallied back by embarking on an 8-2 run to cut the Great Dane lead to four at 45-41 with eight minutes remaining. A free throw by Aileen Daniels for the Bears' first point of the half at 15:35 sparked the rally. UAlbany shook off the comeback bid by going back ahead by double figures when Charity Iromuanya sunk two free throws with 5:49 on the clock.

The Bears would not go away quietly and closed the gap to just four points at 59-55 with 36.5 seconds remaining when Natalie Bonds put back her own rebound. However, Johnson, Iromuanya and Julie Forster all made free throws down the stretch as the Great Danes held on for the nine-point win.

"We really picked up the intensity in the second half," said head coach Trina Patterson, whose team improved to 6-2 when leading or tied at halftime after going 5-11 last season. "Our goal is to be committed to excellence both on and off the court. This team has a lot of character in everything they do, and that has carried over to the court. We still have to work on our rebounding, but we did a better job of taking more high percentage shots."

Neither side led by more than four points in a tightly-contested first half which featured seven ties and five lead changes. Cassandra Callaway gave the Great Danes a 23-19 lead when she stole the ball in the backcourt and went in for an uncontested layup for two of her career-high six points.

However, the Bears got consecutive field goals from Sarah Delk and Hannah Passafuime to knot the score at 23 before the final media timeout at 3:47. Felicia Johnson's off-balance shot in the lane with nine seconds left broke the final tie of the period and gave the visitors a narrow 33-31 advantage at the break.

"We are a very confident team," said Johnson, who was one of four underclassmen in the starting lineup for a young UAlbany squad which only has one senior. "We have confidence in one another. Everybody works very hard, and we know that hard work can get a lot of things done. We are confident that if we work harder than anybody else, then we can be successful."

In addition to Johnson, who also contributed a team-high four assists, UAlbany was also paced by Henry, Keyana Williams and Iromuanya. Henry contributed 14 points and three steals, while Williams netted a career-best 10 points to go along with six rebounds and a block. Iromuanya scored 10 for the visitors.

Brown, which held a commanding 53-29 advantage on the boards, was led by Lindsay Nickel, Delk and Bonds. Nickel and Delk grabbed 16 and 12 points respectively, while Bonds had 15 rebounds and two blocks in addition to scoring six points.

"Our work ethic is great, and we play good defense," added Patterson, whose squad has ranked among the top three teams in the America East Conference in scoring defense and continues to lead the league in steals after picking up 13 more tonight. "Defense is going to win games for us, and this team is committed to it."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Downs Fairfield, 63-52, to Remain Unbeaten at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Felicia Johnson scored a career-best 17 points and Julie Forster added a career-high 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and two blocks in leading UAlbany to a 63-52 victory over Fairfield on Wednesday, Dec. 23 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes won their third straight game and improved to 5-0 at SEFCU Arena for the first time in program history.

UAlbany (6-4), which led 31-23 at halftime after holding its opponent to just 29 percent shooting through 20 minutes, went ahead by double digits for the first time by scoring the first four points of the second stanza. Forster nailed a jumper and Johnson added two free throws to give the hosts a 35-23 advantage.

Fairfield (6-3), which entered the night having won three of its past four games, chipped away at the lead and cut the deficit to seven at 39-32 on a three-pointer by Katelyn Linney to force the Great Danes to call a timeout with 11:34 left. That was the closest the Stags would come the rest of the way.

The Great Danes, who matched last season's win total with the victory, answered back by scoring 10 of the next 13 points to go ahead, 49-35, at the 10:27 mark on a short jumper by Tabitha Makopondo. Cassandra Callaway added five straight points during the stretch. The advantage grew to as many as 15 points at 52-37 when Makopondo netted her second straight field goal after grabbing an offensive rebound. The visitors would cut the deficit to eight on a pair of shots from downtown by Linney and Stephanie Geehan, but it was not enough as the Great Danes held on for their fifth straight win at home to start the season.

"We knew we had more speed, so we really wanted to push the ball and make them guard us at a fast pace," said Johnson, who entered the evening among the America East assist leaders and ranked second in the conference with a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. "I think we did a good job with that."

After the teams traded baskets in the opening minutes of play, UAlbany scored eight straight points to go ahead by a 12-8 score with 12 minutes remaining in the half and never surrendered its lead. Forster sparked the run by canning consecutive shots. Fairfield came within a basket courtesy of a three-point field goal by Desiree Pina which made it 20-18, but the Great Danes shook off the small rally by scoring 11 of the half's final 16 points to end the stanza ahead by a comfortable eight points.

"At halftime, we reiterated over and over in the locker room that this was a very good team," added Johnson. "Just because we were up at halftime, we knew that this game was not over by any means. We did a good job of staying focused and limiting their runs. When they made a run, we stopped it and then made our run."

UAlbany shot a season-best 44.2 percent (23-52) from the floor while holding Fairfield to a season-low 31.3 percent (21-67) from the field. The Great Danes also outshot the Stags from behind the arc, 30 percent (3-10) to 22.7 percent (5-22), and from the charity stripe, 70 percent (14-20) to 62.5 percent (5-8).

In addition to Johnson and Forster, the Great Danes were paced by Charity Iromuanya's eight points and three steals. Basavand and Callaway added six and five points off the bench, respectively.

Stephanie Geehan led Fairfield by accumulating her sixth straight double-double on 17 points and a game-high 11 boards. She also contributed three blocks and three steals. Pina and Linney also scored in double figures, accounting for 12 and 10 points, respectively. Taryn Johnson had nine points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

"Every game we get better, so the confidence continues to build on a game-to-game basis," said head coach Trina Patterson, whose team will travel to face undefeated and 14th-ranked Nebraska (11-0) on Wednesday, Dec. 30. "They all believe in each other, and everybody understands their role. We are going to play Nebraska hard, and we are going to play them with a lot of effort (next week). We know it's going to be a tough game, but we're going to be ready."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Edges Army, 53-49, to Stay Perfect at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Senior captain Charity Iromuanya hit two clutch free throws with 21 seconds remaining and finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four steals to lead UAlbany past Army, 53-49, on Saturday, Dec. 19 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who lead the America East Conference in scoring defense, improved to a perfect 4-0 at home for the first time since the 1997-98 season after holding their third opponent to under 50 points.

UAlbany (5-4), which also improved to 4-0 against teams it lost to last season, was trailing 45-44 with 2:55 left after Erin Anthony converted two free throws. The teams traded the lead three more times. Iromuanya used a screen at the top of the key and drove in for a layup to put the Great Danes ahead by one at the 2:36 mark. On the next play, Nalini Hawkins came back the other way with a short jumper to put the Black Knights ahead, 47-46. The Great Danes kept fighting, and a good jumper by Felicia Johnson from the right elbow put the hosts back ahead by one at 48-47.

Following a missed three-pointer by Hawkins, Julie Forster drew a foul while attempting a hook shot and sunk both of her free throws to extend the UAlbany lead to three points at 50-47. Two free throws by Hawkins closed the gap to one with 32 seconds remaining. Iromuanya was fouled on the ensuing possession, and came through with two key free throws which pushed the Great Dane lead up to three with 21 ticks left.

"We do whatever it takes to win," said Iromuanya, who helped the Great Danes improve to 2-1 in games decided by five points or less this season after going winless at 0-9 in close games last year. "It wasn't about me (at the free throw line). It was about us. We are all willing to make sacrifices for the better of the team so we can win."

After taking a timeout, Army missed two desperation three-pointers in an attempt to tie the game and force overtime. Keyana Williams grabbed the rebound off the second miss, and put the game on ice at the charity stripe with 1.4 seconds left to keep the Great Danes unbeaten at home.

"I hope (our success at home) can generate more enthusiasm for the program and attract more fans," said head coach Trina Patterson, whose team will conclude its three-game homestand when it hosts Fairfield on Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 5 p.m. "We have a whole different team with so many newcomers, and a whole different thought process. These girls are about team first and individuals second. We played with a lot of effort and heart."

The first half had six lead changes and four ties, as each squad went on two major runs but couldn't break away. After the teams exchanged the first four baskets, Army scored eight of the next nine points to take a 12-5 advantage. The run was capped by a three-point field goal by Jessie Coiffard.

UAlbany climbed back into it by scoring the next nine points to take a 14-12 lead with 11:58 left. Ebone Henry came off the bench and made two field goals, while Johnson converted a shot from downtown during the stretch. Trailing 17-15 at the midway point of the stanza, Army scored nine straight points and appeared to be in control going into halftime.

However, the Great Danes went on an 8-0 run to take a one-point lead at 25-24 with 48 seconds left in the half after Johnson and Melia Basavand canned shots from downtown on consecutive plays. The Black Knights were able to take a 26-25 lead into the break thanks to an 18-foot jumper by Hawkins.

UAlbany once again got a balanced scoring effort, as five players netted nine or 10 points. Forster finished with 10 points and three steals, while Johnson had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. Williams fell just shy of her first career double-double with nine points and 10 boards. Henry added nine points off the bench.

Army (5-6), which most recently played neck-and-neck with 16th-ranked Oklahoma for 35 minutes before the Sooners went on a run at the end, was led by Anthony's sixth double-double of the season. The junior forward finished with 14 points and 14 boards. Hawkins added a game-high 21 points, while Coiffard contributed nine points and four rebounds.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Holds Off Wagner to Remain Unbeaten at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Charity Iromuanya netted a season-high 17 points and Julie Forster registered her first career double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds in leading UAlbany to a 63-56 win over Wagner in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday, Dec. 12 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who held off a late run after leading by as many as 23 in the second half, remain unbeaten at home and have outscored their opponents by an average margin of 17.7 points in those contests.

UAlbany (4-4), which led 34-23 at halftime after closing out the opening stanza on a 12-1 run, scored the first four points of the second half. After missing 14 consecutive shots, Kelly Clark netted the Seahawks' first field goal in almost eight minutes at the 17:11 mark and followed up with another score the next time down the floor to make it an 11-point game.

The Great Danes responded with a 10-2 run, which was sparked by Tabitha Makopondo's conventional three-point play, to go ahead by a 48-29 score with just over 13 minutes left in the contest. A fastbreak layup by Ebone Henry, who made her first career start, gave the hosts a 23-point cushion at 56-33 with under nine minutes to play.

Wagner (2-7), which suffered its fourth straight loss, initiated an effective fullcourt press to make a big run at the end. A fastbreak layup by Kanifa Hicks following a steal with 4:58 on the clock cut the lead to 16 points, forcing the Great Danes to call a timeout. Iromuanya made an open layup with 2:12 left to put the Great Danes ahead, 63-48, before the Seahawks made a furious attempt to rally. The visitors scored the last eight points of the game before time ran out on them.

"We came out strong and really focused, but we let them come back by playing sloppy in the end," said Iromuanya, the team's captain. "Overall, everybody was on the same page and we worked really hard."

The first half featured two quick lead changes and three ties. Andrea Reed, who has led the Northeast Conference in assists the past two seasons, hit a jumper to put Wagner ahead by a 6-4 score before the Great Danes went on a 12-2 run with four players scoring during the stretch to take the lead for good.

Wagner was able to tie the score at 22 when Veronick Fournier canned a three-pointer from the left corner, but the Great Danes came back by scoring 10 straight and 12 of the half's final 13 points while forcing the visitors to miss their last seven shots. Iromuanya added five points and an assist on a fastbreak layup by Henry to give the Great Danes an 11-point lead at the break.

"We had several players who were not 100 percent, and we were low on numbers," explained head coach Trina Patterson, whose team will now gear up to host an Army squad which played neck-and-neck with 16th-ranked Oklahoma until the final six minutes of the contest two days ago. "We did not keep our energy level up. You can't make excuses, but I am happy that we were able hang on (to get the win). We really improved our shooting from the perimeter."

In addition to her game-high 17 points, Iromuanya grabbed eight rebounds and recorded four steals to lead the way for UAlbany. Henry netted 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and three steals. Forster added two blocks to her double-double performance.

Wagner was paced by Reed, who led the team with 13 points, five assists and three steals. Ashley Olsen pulled down 14 boards, including 10 in the first half, and finished with six points. Kelly Clark contributed nine points and five rebounds off the bench.

"I am looking forward to our next game against (Army)," added Patterson, who will look to guide the Great Danes to their fourth straight win at home to open the season next Saturday. "They are a mentally tough team, but we will be ready for them."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Comes Alive in Second Half to Defeat Cornell, 80-55, at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Ebone Henry contributed 14 points, five steals and four rebounds off the bench to lead the UAlbany women's basketball team to a convincing 80-55 victory over Cornell on Sunday, Nov. 29 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who were trailing by 12 points midway through the opening frame, rallied to take a three-point lead at halftime before outscoring the Big Red by 22 in the second half.

UAlbany (3-2), which led by a 30-27 score at the break after erasing a double-digit deficit, made adjustments defensively and successfully worked a 1-3-1 trap in the second half. The move forced Cornell to commit 18 of its 28 turnovers in the final frame. Felicia Johnson converted a conventional three-point play to put the Great Danes ahead by double figures for the first time, 41-31, with 16:42 left in the game.

After UAlbany went ahead by 13 on two free throws by Tabitha Makopondo, the Big Red cut the lead down to nine on a good jumper by Fedorowicz with 12:21 on the clock. That was the closest the visitors would come the rest of the game.

"Our coach told us to keep taking our shots, and that they would fall eventually," said Henry, who led the Great Danes in scoring for the third straight game and had a career high for steals. "We kept shooting in the second half, and [the shots] fell. Defensively, we stopped [Allie Fedorowicz], and they weren't prepared for our pressure defense."

Henry scored five consecutive points to put UAlbany ahead by a 53-39 score. Melia Basavand came off the bench and accounted for 11 of the team's next 12 points by nailing three shots from behind the arc along with a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead by a margin of 65-48. The Great Danes' lead ballooned to 28 points when Kate Cronin converted a short jumper with 46 seconds left. Fedorowicz hit a three in the waning seconds to seal the final outcome.

"Our defense ignited us," said head coach Trina Patterson. "We lost to them by four last year and they had three seniors returning. They just couldn't get their shots off our 1-3-1 trap in the second half. We made some good adjustments [at halftime]."

UAlbany, which won for the third time in four games, scored four of the first six points before Cornell (3-3) went on a run to take a commanding 18-6 lead at the midway point of the first half. Fedorowicz, who netted a team-high 19 points in a 50-46 win over the Great Danes last season, canned three consecutive shots from downtown during the stretch.

The Great Danes emptied out their bench and started to chip away at the deficit. A three-point field goal by Henry from the left corner with 1:40 left in the opening half put the hosts up for good at 26-25. Trailing by a point with an opportunity to regain the lead at the recess, Lauren Benson had the ball stolen away from her at midcourt by Julie Forster in the final seconds. The freshman went all the way in for a fastbreak layup to give the Great Danes a three-point cushion at the break.

UAlbany's Makopondo and Basavand came alive in the second half and scored in double figures along with Henry. Makopondo had 13 points, including 11 in the second half, to go along with four rebounds. All of Basavand's 11 points came in the final stanza. Forster finished the game with seven points, eight rebounds and three steals, while Johnson added eight points and six assists.

Cornell was led by Fedorowicz, who finished with a game-high 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field and 6-for-9 shooting from behind the arc. Christine Vlasic contributed six points and a team-best eight rebounds off the bench, while Benson had six assists.

"It was a great team effort," added Patterson, whose team had seven players net at least seven points and will visit Canisius on Wednesday night. "We talk about having a team with no stars. Everybody made plays. We shot only 19 percent early, but there's always energy coming off the bench."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Wins Home Opener, 70-49, Over St. Francis - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman guard Ebone Henry had 12 of her career-high 16 points in the second half as UAlbany pulled away for a 70-49 victory over Saint Francis, N.Y. in the Great Danes' home opener on Monday, Nov. 23 at SEFCU Arena.

The contest featured 12 lead changes and four ties through the opening 25 minutes of play. Henry tied the game with a pair of free throws and then gave her team a 38-36 advantage when she drove into the lane on an inbounds play. Still leading 38-36, the Great Danes ran off nine straight points. Henry ignited the outburst with a three-point field goal from the left corner and by scoring on a cut in the lane.

UAlbany (2-1) held a 47-38 cushion with 9:21 remaining, but exploded with a string of 14 consecutive markers. Julie Forster, a walk-on freshman, made a layup after making a steal off the top of a 1-3-1 zone defense, before Charity Iromuanya canned a 3-pointer from the right corner for a 15-point cushion. Melia Basavand connected on back-to-back long-range jumpers and Forster drilled two foul shots for a commanding 61-38 lead with 3:55 to play.

"We are going to go far with effort and hard work on defense," explained Henry, whose team forced 27 turnovers and confused the visitors by switching between man-to-man and zone defenses. "Our coach talks about coming off the bench strong. I am trying to score, rebound and do whatever I have to do to help my team."

In the first half, St. Francis (0-3) ran off seven unanswered points to reverse a 17-16 deficit. Kendra Williams made a pair of free throws to put her team in front. Autumn Lau, a freshman who totaled 15 points and 16 rebounds, sank a three-pointer from the left corner and Tiara Dunson made a 19-footer from just inside the top of the arc.

The Great Danes were still trailing 29-25, but Henry converted a drive from the left wing and Felicia Johnson, who had 10 points and five assists, made a 14-foot jumper in transition to draw their team even at halftime. The opening period produced nine lead changes and two ties.

"Our bench lighted a spark," said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson, whose team travels to Hofstra on Wednesday for an afternoon game. "(Ebone) Henry and (Julie) Forster were great. I like the character of this team. We struggled a little bit offensively, but we made shots when needed."

Dunson, a junior guard, finished with 13 points for the Terriers, who were held to 6-of-18 shooting from the field in the second half. UAlbany's Iromuanya had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Forster added a career-best 10.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Fordham Uses Late Run to Defeat Women's Basketball, 76-56, in Season Opener

Bronx, N.Y. - Tiffany Stokes scored 17 of her game-high 25 points in the second half and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Fordham past the UAlbany women's basketball team, 76-56, in the season opener for both schools on Friday evening at the Rose Hill Gymnasium. The score was tied at 49 with 8:25 left to play before the Rams went on a 27-7 run to end the game.

UAlbany (0-1), which won three of its final six games last season, started off strong by scoring the first five points of the game. After blocking a shot on the Rams' first possession, Keyana Williams converted a layup on the other end to put the Great Danes on the board. Charity Iromuanya followed up with a three-pointer on the next possession. Fordham rallied back to tie the match at five before the first media timeout. Randall Hurst provided all the scoring with a conventional three-point play and a layup.

After trading baskets, UAlbany went on a 9-0 run to force the Rams to burn a timeout. Sparked by Melia Basavand's trifecta from the right wing, all of the scoring during the stretch came from the Great Danes' bench.

Fordham (1-0), which posted an eight-win improvement last season, trimmed the lead down to a point, but Ebone Henry made a free throw and Felicia Johnson hit a jumper on a fast break to keep the Great Danes ahead at 19-15. The Rams kept fighting back and took their first lead at the 5:07 mark when Hurst drilled two free throws to break a 21-21 tie.

Stokes made a short jumper which allowed Fordham to extend its advantage to six points at 31-25, but the Great Danes continued to use its balanced scoring attack to rally and regain the lead. Johnson converted two free throws, and Basavand canned another three and a long jumper in the left corner with the back of her foot on the line to give the Great Danes a 32-31 advantage at the recess.

The second half was a seesaw battle at the beginning with four lead changes in the opening 2:17. Henry broke a 42-42 deadlock when she netted five straight points on two free throws and a shot from downtown. The Rams rallied once again and took the lead for good by scoring 12 straight points before Basavand drilled a three from NBA range at 4:39 to end the scoreless drought which lasted almost five minutes.

Basavand hit a pair of free throws to make it 65-54 with 2:56 on the clock, but that was the closest the Great Danes came the rest of the way. The Rams went ahead by 18 points on two occasions, and an uncontested layup on a fast break by Kyara Weeks sealed the final outcome.

In addition to Stokes, Fordham was led by Hurst who netted 22 points. Kristina Bell and Becky Peters netted eight and six points, respectively, and Kyara Weeks pulled down seven rebounds.

UAlbany, which used a balanced scoring attack and got 31 points from its bench, was paced by Basavand and Henry. Basavand scored a team-high 13 points on 4-of-9-shooting, while Henry contributed 10 points and a team-leading eight rebounds in 18 minutes of action. Johnson and Julie Forster contributed eight points apiece, and Iromuanya had a game-high four steals.

The Rams outshot the Great Danes, 54.7 percent (29-53) to 38.6 percent (22-57) from the floor. UAlbany outshot Fordham 29.4 percent (5-17) to 20 percent (1-5) from behind the arc and 77.8 percent (7-9) to 70.8 percent (17-24) at the charity stripe.

"We felt a lot of pressure and committed a lot of turnovers that were unforced late in the game," said head coach Trina Patterson. "I thought we played very well for 30 minutes, but that's not enough. We were up by one at halftime and lost by 20 because we got out of our scheme and started playing one-on-one ball. We need to stay in our systems if we want to be successful."
Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Releases 2009-10 Non-Conference Women's Basketball Schedule - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced today the school's women's basketball non-conference schedule for the 2009-10 season. Women's National Invitational Tournament participants Nebraska and Canisius are among the 13 opponents the Great Danes will face to gear up for the America East Conference slate. Six of the contests will be played at SEFCU Arena.

UAlbany faces Nebraska, of the Big 12 Conference, at the DeVaney Center on Wednesday, Dec. 30. The Cornhuskers, who made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2008, bring back all of their starters plus 6-foot-2 senior forward Kelsey Griffin, a two-time all-conference first-team selection who earned a medical redshirt last season. Cory Montgomery, a 6-foot-2 senior forward who was an All-Big 12 honorable mention honoree, and Yvonne Turner, a 5-foot-8 senior guard who was appeared on the conference's all-defensive team twice, are among the returners for the veteran squad which advanced to the WNIT's second round. Montgomery's 15.2 points and 7.8 boards per game last season were team highs.

The Great Danes will visit Canisius, the runner-up squad in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The Griffins set a school record with 24 wins last season and return two starters in senior guard Brittané Russell and Micayla Drysdale. Russell was an all-conference second-team pick and the league's defensive player of the year after averaging 10.9 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Drysdale, who netted 7.9 points per game last season, shot a league-best 42.2 percent from behind the arc. Sophomore guard Stephanie MacDonald, a member of the MAAC all-rookie squad, also returns.

After opening up the season with two road games at Fordham and New Jersey Tech (NJIT), UAlbany will host St. Francis, N.Y. on Monday, Nov. 23 in its home opener. The Terriers return 6-foot-4 senior center Kendra Williams, who averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in 2008-09. Atlantic 10 Conference member Rhode Island along with Cornell, Wagner, Army and Fairfield will also visit SEFCU Arena.

UAlbany will renew its crosstown rivalry with Siena on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Times Union Center, the city's downtown arena. The Saints return four of their starters. Serena Moore, a 6-foot-1 junior forward, is the squad's top returning scorer at 7.8 points per game. Sarah Fullmer, a 6-foot-3 senior center, blocked a team-best 1.4 shots per contest and is the leading rebounder among the returnees. The Great Danes will also face Hofstra and Brown on the road.

Head coach Trina Patterson has seven returning letterwinners, including two starters. Senior guard Charity Iromuanya, the only player among the nine conference teams to average a double-double in the 2009 America East Championship, totaled 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds for a team which won three of its final six games and almost pulled off an upset against top-seeded Boston University in the conference tournament. Tabitha Makopondo, a 6-foot-1 forward, had a productive freshman campaign, averaging 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds.

2009-10 University at Albany Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Date, Day, Opponent, Site
Nov. 13, Friday, at Fordham, Bronx, N.Y.
Nov. 19, Thursday, at New Jersey Tech, Newark, N.J.
Nov. 23, Monday, vs. St. Francis, N.Y., SEFCU Arena
Nov. 25, Wednesday, at Hofstra, Hempstead, N.Y.
Nov. 29, Sunday, vs. Cornell, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 2, Wednesday, at Canisius, Buffalo, N.Y.
Dec. 5, Saturday, vs. Siena, Albany, N.Y. (neutral site)
Dec. 12, Saturday, vs. Wagner, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 19, Saturday, vs. Army, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 23, Wednesday, vs. Fairfield, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 30, Wednesday, at Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.
Jan. 2, Saturday, vs. Rhode Island, SEFCU Arena
Jan. 6, Wednesday, at Brown, Providence, R.I.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Recognizes Six Great Danes At Annual Postseason Awards Event - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – The University at Albany women’s basketball program announced on Tuesday, April 28 the winners of its postseason awards. Six players were recognized for their contributions to the program during the 2008-09 campaign.

Sophomore Janea Aiken, a 5-foot-9 guard, earned the team’s playmaker award. Aiken broke the school record for points by a sophomore. She finished with 412 and averaged a team-best 13.3 per game, which were also America East Conference highs among second-year players. Her 33 points in the conference opener at Binghamton was the second-highest single-game total in school history and three shy of the record.

Sophomore Kim Clements, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, was named the squad’s defensive player of the year. Clements, who saw limited playing time last year, improved her numbers in practically every statistical category and was regularly assigned to cover one of the opposing team’s top scoring threats. Clements grabbed at least five rebounds eight times, including a career-best seven against Vermont and Stony Brook. She averaged 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 30 appearances.

Freshman Kate Cronin, a 6-foot forward, was named the team’s most improved player after averaging 2.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. After playing only five minutes in the first 14 contests, Cronin worked her way into the starting lineup for the last six games of the season. She averaged 2.7 points and 3.5 boards while leading the team to a 3-3 record in that span.

Charity Iromuanya, a 5-foot-8 junior, was awarded unsung hero. Iromuanya was also a key factor to the Great Danes’ improvement down the stretch. She was the lone player to average a double-double (12.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg) in America East Conference postseason play. Iromuanya finished the year averaging 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Senior Amira Ford, a 5-foot-5 guard, was honored with the club’s leadership award. The only senior captain on the squad was also one of the team’s two representatives on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and assisted with organizing the program’s community service initiatives. Ford, the team’s starting point guard in 12 of the 31 games, also proved to be a leader in the classroom. Her 3.30 cumulative grade point average ranked first on the squad among returning players.

Tabitha Makopondo, a 6-foot-1 freshman, earned the team’s academic award. She had a 3.87 cumulative grade point average through the fall semester as a psychology major. Makopondo led all newcomers in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. The freshman’s numbers surged as the season progressed, as she finished the year averaging 5.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and a team-high 0.4 blocks per game.

Head coach Trina Patterson put together what turned out to arguably be the most competitive schedule the Great Danes have ever seen at the Division I level in 2008-09. The slate featured a program-record 11 contests against clubs which advanced to either the NCAA Tournament or Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

University of Albany Women's Basketball Upends Maine, 63-43, in America East Tournament's First Round - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

West Hartford, Conn. – Janea Aiken had 18 points and Charity Iromuanya added a season-high 15 in leading UAlbany to a 63-43 victory over Maine in the first round of the America East Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 12 at the University of Hartford’s Chase Arena. The Great Danes advance to meet top-seed and regular-season champion Boston University in Friday’s quarterfinals at 2:00 p.m.

UAlbany (6-24) led 30-24 early in the second half, but then took control with 19 unanswered over an eight-minute stretch. Iromunanya, a junior guard, canned her second 3-point field goal of the game to push the lead to double figures. Britney McGee, who had 11 of her 14 points after halftime, then netted nine straight. She made two three-pointers, one from the left wing and another from right of the key, before finishing off a fastbreak following a steal.

Aiken, a sophomore who scored in twin figures for the 21st time this season, added four points as the decisive run continued. She knifed her way into the lane from the left side and made two free throws. Felicia Johnson gave her team a commanding 49-24 advantage with 11:55 to play by sinking a right baseline jumper.

The Great Danes, who were playing in the America East’s opening round for the third time in the last four years, never saw their lead dip below 17 points the rest of the way. UAlbany, the eighth seed in this tournament, held Maine (5-25) to 26.7-percent shooting in the final period on 8-of-30 attempts.

“We really wanted to get after them on the boards, and we did a great job on defensive rebounding,” said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson, whose team held an opponent under 50 points for the seventh time this season. “I think if you can play defense and rebound in any tournament game and get yourself some good shots, you are going to do well."

The Black Bears, who had defeated UAlbany both times in the teams’ previous two conference postseason tournament matchups, ran off nine unanswered to take a 14-9 lead in the opening half. Amanda Tewksbury, a junior guard who led her club with 11 points, scored after collecting an offensive rebound to put Maine ahead. Colleen Kilmurray, who contributed nine points and five rebounds, added a three-point play when she was fouled on a turnaround in transition.

The Great Danes stilled trailed 18-15, but then went on a 10-1 run. Aiken, who had 14 first-half points, converted a fastbreak layup following Johnson’s steal to help her team regain the lead. Tabitha Makopondo made two free throws and Iromuanya, who made 5-of-9 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds, drilled a three-pointer from left of the key off a kick-out pass from Kate Cronin to finish off that outburst.

Aiken, who set the program’s single-season scoring mark by a sophomore in the contest, later went coast-to-coast with a defensive rebound. She was fouled by Brittany Boser while making the layup for a three-point play. Makopondo’s 10-footer on the right baseline would give the Great Danes a 30-22 halftime cushion. The opening period featured four ties and three lead changes.

“We took a lot of pride in our defense tonight,” offered Iromuanya, who posted her highest scoring total since last year’s regular-season finale at Boston U. “We did not want the person we were guarding to score on us. When (Brittany) Boser went to the bench with her fourth foul, it opened up a lot of things for our guards as well as our forwards. That is why I believe we were able to make that run with her out."

UAlbany will next meet a Boston University squad that won the conference’s regular-season crown outright for the first time by becoming the fifth team in America East history to go undefeated in league play.

“It has been a real ride this season for my confidence,” explained Iromuanya, who recorded a double-double in last year’s America East quarterfinal win over Binghamton. “I have been looking to attack more and get to the hole. My teammates have also had a lot of confidence in me. It was just a matter of time. Now I don't want to stop."

Women's Basketball Closes Out Regular Season With a 95-72 Loss to First-Place Boston University

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Boston, Mass. – Senior Amarachi Umez-Eronini netted 24 points and pulled down six rebounds to lead Boston University to a convincing 95-72 victory over UAlbany in America East Conference women’s basketball action at Case Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. With their 17th straight victory on Senior Day, the Terriers became the first America East school to finish the regular season undefeated in league play since Maine accomplished the feat in the 2002-03 season.

Boston U. (22-6, AE 16-0), which entered the weekend as one of only five teams left in the country unbeaten in conference play, scored the first four points before the Great Danes converted three shots from the free throw line. Leading 8-5, the Terriers broke the game open with a 17-2 run to go ahead 25-7 with 13:40 left in the half. Kristi Dini, one of four Terriers to eclipse double figures in scoring over the first 20 minutes, closed out the stretch with four three-point field goals.

Led by Tabitha Makopondo and Charity Iromuanya, UAlbany (5-24, AE 3-13) scored 13 of the next 20 points to close the gap to 12 at 32-20 at the 9:15 mark. However, Boston U. did not allow the Great Danes to get any closer the rest of the stanza. The lead grew to as many as 20 points, and a layup by Kerry Cashman as time expired gave the Terriers a 53-36 advantage at the break.

UAlbany scored the first four points of the second half to make it a 13-point deficit. Iromunaya hit a short jumper, and Britney McGee followed up with a pair of free throws. After shooting 60 percent in the first half, Boston U. answered with a 12-2 run, as a three-pointer by Jesyka Burks-Wiley gave her team a 65-42 advantage. Iromuanya cut the lead down to 19 with a conventional three-point play, but that was as close as the Great Danes would come the rest of the way before suffering the 23-point defeat.

In addition to Umez-Eronini, Boston University, which netted a season-high for points in the contest, was paced by classmates Christine Kinneary, Burks-Wiley and Dini. All four players netted at least 15 points in their final game at Case Gymnasium. In addition to scoring 18 points, Kinneary also contributed 11 assists while committing only one turnover

UAlbany was led by Iromuanya, who matched a season-high with 14 points. She also grabbed a team-best six rebounds. Janea Aiken scored a team-leading 17 points, while McGee added 13.

“I thought they had too many offensive weapons for us to handle,” said head coach Trina Patterson, whose team was outrebounded for just the first time over the past four games to close out the regular season. “I thought that our players shot the ball well. If we could have played better defense, it would have been a much better game. Charity was excellent today. (Our team) will need to bring the same amount of energy as she did off the bench today to be successful in the tournament.”

For the game, Boston University outshot UAlbany from the field, 53.9 percent (41-76) to 51.9 percent (28-54) and beyond the arc, 38.1 percent (8-21) to 28.6 percent (2-7). The Terriers, who also held a 39-26 advantage on the boards, outshot the Great Danes, 83.3 percent (5-6) to 70 percent (14-20) from the charity stripe.

University of Albany Women's Basketball Punishes Stony Brook - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Britney McGee had 13 points and Janea Aiken added 10 as UAlbany picked up its second road win of the season in a 57-40 America East Conference victory over Stony Brook in the Seawolves’ regular-season home finale on Wednesday, March 4 at Pritchard Gymnasium.

UAlbany led 34-26 in the second half, but then pulled away with a 9-1 run. Aiken’s conventional three-point play pushed the lead to double figures when she was fouled on a driving bank shot. Ashley Lindsey added consecutive baskets, including an 8-foot jumper in the lane. Freshman Tabitha Makopondo later scored in the lane off a feed from a driving Felicia Johnson for a 43-27 advantage with 11:17 remaining.

Kirsten Jeter, who recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, got Stony Brook to within 47-35 with a layup after her steal. But the Great Danes regrouped with six straight points. Kate Cronin, a 6-foot freshman who was making her third start of the year, did all of that scoring. Cronin, who had a career game with eight points and six rebounds, connected in the lane and hit a layup in transition. Her jumper from the left baseline with 5:28 to play gave her team a commanding 53-35 cushion.

"I am from Long Island and my entire family was here,” explained Cronin, whose team avenged a 64-56 loss to Stony Brook in the first meeting this season at SEFCU Arena on Jan. 27. “It was really exciting to play this well in front of them. I feel really comfortable with my increased role on the team, and I hope to continue improving the rest of the year and into next season."

The Great Danes, who had not won on the road since Jan. 3 at Rhode Island, trailed early in the first half, but then scored 12 of the game’s next 14 points. Aiken, a sophomore guard who scored in twin figures for the 19th time this season, converted a drive from left of the key to put her team ahead. Johnson later canned a foul-line jumper, before Makopondo netted back-to-back baskets for a 17-10 lead. Johnson, a redshirt freshman guard, totaled six points, five rebounds and four assists.

The Seawolves, who has their losing streak extended to five in a row, clawed back into the contest and closed within 21-19 when Sarah Kazadi scored from the right block. Kazadi, a 6-foot-2 junior, had 10 points and 12 rebounds. But Aiken followed her own missed drive and Charity Iromuanya delivered a three-pointer from the right corner. The Great Danes, who shot 48 percent in the period, led by as much as 10 before settling for a 30-22 halftime margin.

"We played great defense, and we played as a team,” said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson, whose squad held an opponent to its lowest scoring output since Dec, 4, 2004. “I think this game also showed that our future is bright, as we had two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior starting for us. This gives us confidence and momentum going into the tournament. Kate (Cronin) is getting better. She doesn't mind physical contact and battling."

Makopondo had 10 points for the Great Danes, who held Stony Brook to 25.4-percent shooting, a season-low by a UAlbany opponent. The Seawolves made just 16 of 63 field goals, including 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.

New Hampshire Uses Late Runs in Each Half to Edge Women's Basketball, 66-62, on Senior Day

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Candace Williams posted 22 points, including nine in the last nine minutes, to lead New Hampshire over UAlbany by a score of 66-62 in America East Conference women’s basketball action at SEFCU Arena on Saturday, Feb. 28. Trailing by 14, the Wildcats scored 11 consecutive points to close out the first half and reversed a nine-point deficit midway through the second stanza to pull away from the Great Danes at the end.

UAlbany (4-23, 2-12 AE), which honored seniors Amira Ford and Tiffanie Johnson prior to the contest, had a 52-43 advantage with 10:18 remaining in the game before New Hampshire rattled off 12 consecutive points to go ahead by three. A three-point field goal by Chrissy Hall at the 6:51 mark gave the Wildcats a 53-52 lead.

On the Great Danes’ next possession, Janea Aiken had a chance to put her team back on top at the free throw line. Her shot rimmed out, and Williams came back the other way and converted a layup to put UNH ahead by three.

UAlbany brought the lead down to two points on four more occasions. However, two field goals and two free throws by Williams and a layup by Rachel Fowler kept the Wildcats ahead. A three-point field goal by Charity Iromuanya with five seconds remaining sealed the four-point decision.

“We came out flat in the second half,” said co-captain Britney McGee after the Great Danes fell to 0-8 in games decided by five points or less and 3-10 when leading or tied at halftime. “They came out ready to play, and we were not ready for the run that they made. I think we can get down on ourselves too much. We just have to start believing in ourselves and give that extra effort that’s needed (down the stretch).”

Led by Kate Early, New Hampshire (8-20, 6-8 AE) scored eight of the first 10 points to open the game. However, the Great Danes clawed back and took their first lead, 12-10, on one of McGee’s four shots from behind the arc. After Williams hit a jumper to knot the score at 12, UAlbany recorded seven consecutive points to take a 19-12 advantage.

The Great Danes scored nine consecutive points to make it 32-18 with 4:23 left in the half, forcing the Wildcats to call a timeout. McGee and Johnson each made shots from behind the arc, while Aiken converted a conventional three-point play during the stretch. However, New Hampshire responded with 11 straight points to close out the half and trailed just 32-29.

The Wildcats picked up where they left off to start the second half, scoring six straight points to cap a 17-0 run dating back to the first frame. Sparked by a three by McGee, UAlbany battled back by scoring the next eight points to take a 40-35 advantage. A long jumper by McGee put the Great Danes up by double figures before a layup by Aiken made it 52-43 with 10:18 on the clock. However, UNH scored the next 12 points and never trailed the rest of the way.

McGee led the way for the Great Danes with 16 points and five rebounds, while Johnson added 15 points and a team-best seven rebounds in her final game at SEFCU Arena. Aiken finished with 12 points and five assists.

In addition to scoring a game-high 22 points, Williams grabbed eight rebounds to pace the Wildcats. Amy Simpson contributed 17 points, and Early added five points, nine rebounds and three steals.

“I would have liked for our seniors to go out with a win,” said head coach Trina Patterson, whose team will visit Stony Brook on Wednesday, Feb. 4. “We outrebounded them and shot the ball better than they did, but we had too many turnovers. It was one of those evenly played games where the small things mattered, and the small things were turning the ball over. That was the difference in the game.”

UAlbany outshot New Hampshire from the field, 42.3 percent (22-52) to 41.8 percent (23-55) and 31.6 percent (6-19) to 30.8 percent (4-13) from behind the arc. UNH held the advantage at the free throw line, 76.2 percent (16-21) to 63.2 percent (12-19).

University of Albany's Britney McGee's 30 Points Helps Women's Basketball in 92-80 Win

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Britney McGee scored a career-high 30 points and made seven three-point field goals as UAlbany snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 92-80 victory over UMBC in America East Conference play on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at SEFCU Arena.

UMBC (14-13, AE 6-8) rallied from a 14-point deficit early in the second half. Michelle Kurowski, a freshman guard who had 25 points, hit a driving layup, before Katie Brooks made a jumper in the lane to draw their team even at 64-all. Kurowski, who added three assists and four steals, made two of her three 3-point field goals in that run.

With the game still tied at 66 apiece, UAlbany (4-22, AE 2-11) ran off 11 consecutive points to take control. McGee canned a three-pointer from the right corner on an inbounds play to break the tie. Tabitha Makopondo, a 6-foot-1 freshman, connected on a drive and then scored in the lane off a feed from Tiffanie Johnson. McGee, who made 7-of-8 from beyond the arc, later buried two free throws for a 77-66 advantage with 3:54 remaining.

The Retrievers, who won the first meeting this season by a 13-point spread, never got closer than seven in the stretch. After Melissa Book drilled a three-point field goal, UAlbany’s Janea Aiken answered with a conventional three-point play. Aiken, who had 14 points and five assists, was fouled on a left baseline drive.

“We shot the ball well and we played good defense,” said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson, whose team made a season-best 58.5 percent from the field on 31-of-53 shooting. “When they made their run, we didn’t clam up, we fought back. We were committed to pride, purpose and being physical. We have been in the valley so long; now they know how to climb out.”

The first half featured nine lead changes and five ties. The Retrievers were behind, 24-23, but then went ahead on Kurowski’s two foul shots and a three-pointer by Michele Brokans. UAlbany answered with a 20-4 run over the next four minutes. McGee, who added five assists, seven rebounds and three steals to the second-highest scoring total by a Great Danes this season, helped her team regain the lead with back-to-back long-range jumpers. Still leading 36-32, McGee hit another 3-pointer from right of the key off a kick-out pass. Johnson made a right baseline jumper and McGee sank a 23-footer for a 44-32 cushion.

After taking a 48-38 lead to the locker room, McGee and Makopondo helped expand that margin early in the final stanza. McGee nailed a 14-foot jumper and another three-pointer. Makopondo, who had a career-high 17 points, scored on the right baseline and sank two from the charity stripe for a 57-43 advantage with 17:28 left.

“We played as a team and we were all on the same page,” offered McGee, whose squad scored the most points in a Division I game, breaking a mark established in a 91-73 win over Lafayette on Jan. 2, 2003. “There was a little fear (when they tied the game), because we have been so use to losing. But we toughened up, pulled together and pushed through.”

Brooks was the only other UMBC player in double figures with 15 points, while Erin Brown added nine points and six rebounds. Carlee Cassidy, the conference’s leading scorer with a 21.5 average coming into the contest, was held to four on 1-of-6 shooting. Charity Iromuanya added 10 points and three steals for the Great Danes, who ended the second-longest losing skid in the program’s Division I history and won for the first time since Jan. 13th against Maine.

Women's Basketball Edged By Binghamton in First Half of Big Purple Growl Doubleheader

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- Freshman guard Andrea Holmes scored 19 of her 24 points in the second half to lead Binghamton past UAlbany, 66-63, in America East Conference play on Saturday, Feb. 7 at SEFCU Arena. The contest was the first half of the school’s annual Big Purple Growl doubleheader.

UAlbany (3-19, AE 1-8) rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final period. Janea Aiken, who had 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting, converted a fastbreak layup for a 43-42 lead midway through the half. The final 20 minutes featured 10 lead changes and three ties.

Binghamton (10-12, AE 5-4) went back in front, 55-54, when Holmes made a one-handed jumper from the foul line on an inbounds play. The Great Danes regained the lead as Tabitha Makopondo, a freshman who had seven points and six rebounds, connected in the lane and Charity Iromuanya made two free throws.

After Darryll Peterson scored in the lane off a high-low exchange, UAlbany’s Britney McGee drilled a 22-footer for a 61-57 advantage. However, Holmes, who scored 20-plus for the third time this year, willed her team back. She made a three-point shot from right of the circle off a screen.

McGee, who totaled nine points and six assists, scored off a lob pass from Aiken for a 63-60 cushion. But Holmes came up with a rare four-point play when she was fouled while sinking a long-range 3-pointer from left of the key. After Holmes split a pair of free throws for a 65-63 lead, Aiken could not connect on a right baseline drive with 5.4 seconds remaining.

"I thought we played with a lot of heart," said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson. "The chemistry was pretty good - but that one play where Holmes hit (a four-point play), as well as Janea missing a bunny layup, hurt us. This was a gut-check game for us, so it was pretty disheartening."

The Bearcats, who shot 55 percent from the field in the opening half, broke an 11-11 tie with 10 of the game’s next 12 points. Muffy Sadler canned a three-point field goal from the top of the arc to put her team ahead. Jaki Goldner, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, scored three consecutive baskets, including a turnaround on the baseline that gave her club a 21-13 advantage with 6:16 left in the period.

The Great Danes, who made just 9-of-32 from the floor in the stanza, worked their way back into the contest. Aiken buried a three-pointer after an offensive rebound, before Iromuanya followed a missed long-range shot that closed the gap to 23-21. Binghamton’s Holmes sank a 3-pointer from left of the key off the dribble and Erica Carter later made a 16-footer in transition. The Bearcats took a 28-23 lead to the locker room.

Goldner finished with 13 points and five rebounds for the Bearcats, who also won this year’s first meeting between these teams. Tiffanie Johnson had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Great Danes, who have dropped seven in a row. Iromuanya turned in her best effort since early December with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Hartford Extends Home Winning Streak to 33 Games with 73-47 Win Over Women's Basketball

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

West Hartford, Conn. – Diana Delva recorded 19 points and pulled down six rebounds to propel the Hartford Hawks to a 73-47 victory over UAlbany in America East Conference women’s basketball action on Saturday evening at Chase Arena. The Hawks extended their winning streak at home to 33 games, which ranks second in the nation behind top-ranked Connecticut.

Hartford (11-8, AE 6-1) took advantage of five early turnovers by the Great Danes to score eight of the game’s first 10 points in the opening four minutes of the contest. Delva had four of her 11 first-half points during the stretch. Facing an 8-4 deficit, point guard Felicia Johnson entered the game for the first time and led the first Great Dane rally of the opening half. The redshirt freshman stole the ball at midcourt and converted a layup to bring UAlbany within two, while Ashley Lindsay tied the game at 12-12 with 8:53 on the clock when she canned a 20-foot jumper from the top of the key.

The Hawks, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, answered right back by scoring the next four points. After UAlbany’s Tiffanie Johnson drilled a three-point field goal, Hartford built its lead up to nine, 24-15, on a good jumper by Katie Kelley.

UAlbany (3-17, AE 1-6) rallied once again as Kate Cronin took a pass from Kim Clements and converted a layup on a backdoor cut down the left side to make it a four-point game. However, Lisa Etienne made a layup on the other end as time expired to give the Hawks a 26-20 advantage at the break.

Hartford, which shot 57.1 percent from the field and a perfect 11-for-11 from the line in the second half, used a balanced scoring attack and opened the stanza on a 23-2 run. Britney McGee canned a shot from behind the arc with the Hawks leading by a 49-25 margin, but the Great Danes would not be able to overcome the deficit. The Hartford lead ballooned to as many as 37 points when Amanda Weaver hit a jumper with 4:36 left in regulation before two free throws by UAlbany’s Adrienne Jones sealed the final outcome.

"We had a lot of our young players step up today,” said head coach Trina Patterson. “I think that for Tabitha [Makopondo] to play that type of game and hold her own against the caliber of post play that Hartford has says that our future is bright. I was very disappointed with our guard play. We committed 26 turnovers, which was sloppy. We did not take care of the ball. Our only bright spot was our post play."

Makopondo scored all of her team-best 12 points in the second half and matched her career high with nine rebounds to lead the way for the Great Danes. UAlbany got six of its 23 bench points from Charity Iromuanya while Cronin scored a career-best four points. Delva’s 19 points came on 8-for-10 shooting from the field to pace the Hawks. Erica Beverly added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Ilicia Mathis contributed eight points, four rebounds, and a game-high three steals.

Women's Basketball Falls Again

Baltimore, Md. – Carlee Cassidy netted 21 points while Erin Brown netted 14 points and shot 7-for-9 from the field to lead the UMBC Retrievers to a 76-63 victory over the University at Albany in America East Conference women’s basketball action on Wednesday afternoon. Trailing by 15 points at halftime, the Great Danes made it a one-possession game on three occasions in the second half. However, the Retrievers held off every rally to win their third conference game of the season.

UMBC (11-7, AE 3-2) scored the first four points of the game and led the entire first half. However, the Retrievers were not able to build greater than a four-point advantage until a layup by Toneisha Mack made it 20-14 with 9:50 left to play. Janea Aiken, who finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, converted a layup in transition to bring UAlbany within four, however, the Retrievers then embarked on a 9-0 run to pull ahead by a 13-point margin.

A layup by Amira Ford following her own defensive rebound with 5:36 left ended the streak, but the Great Danes could not bring the Retriever lead down to single digits before the stanza was over. A layup on the other end by Katie Brooks with 1:19 on the clock gave UMBC its largest lead of the frame at 40-25, which was how the first half ended.

UAlbany (3-14, AE 1-3) held the Retrievers without a field goal for over five minutes to start the second half. Britney McGee cut the deficit to 10 points by hitting two free throws and a three pointer, forcing the Retrievers to call a timeout at the 17:43 mark. A layup by UAlbany’s Tabitha Makopondo trimmed the lead to single digits. Aiken followed with a 10-foot jumper to make it a six-point game with 15:49 remaining to keep the crowd of 1,517 fans silent.

Two free throws by Cassidy, who joined the school’s 1,000-point club, scored the first UMBC points of the second half at the 15:32 mark, and Michelle Kurowski nailed the team’s first field goal of the half with 14:38 remaining in regulation. The Retrievers were forced to call another timeout with 12:01 on the clock when Ashley Lindsay hit a layup to make it a one-possession game at 47-44.

“I knew we should not have been in the hole we were in at halftime,” said Lindsay, who scored all of her career-high 10 points in the last 20 minutes. “I went out there (in the second half) ready to play. I felt that as a team, we stepped up on both sides of the ball. We just have to learn to put a full 40 minutes together.”

UMBC continued to shake off any threat by the Great Danes to take the lead, and a three-point field goal by Michele Brokans put her team ahead by eight, 58-50, with 6:33 left. UAlbany came as close as four points on three occasions before the Retrievers hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the final outcome.

For the game, the Retrievers outshot the Great Danes, 49.2 percent (29-59) to 38 percent (27-71) from the floor and 70.6 percent (12-17) to 50 percent (6-12) from the charity stripe. UMBC also outshot UAlbany 40 percent (6-15) to 16.7 percent (3-18), from behind the arc.

“We have not been able to put two great halves together on the road with the exception of our win over Rhode Island,” said head coach Trina Patterson. “UMBC shot us out of the gym in the first half. The second half was a little bit better, and we had good play from our post players which was encouraging. Our goal was to be at .500 right now in our conference games, so we have some ground to make up moving forward.”