Defense Sparks UMass Women’s Basketball’s Season-Opening 55-49 Win Over Boston University
The Minutewomen posted the program’s first 50-rebound game since 2006.
Nov. 13, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. – The UMass women’s basketball team held Boston University scoreless for the opening 5:30 and never trailed in the contest on the way to a 55-49 season-opening win over the Terriers (1-1) at the Mullins Center on Sunday afternoon. Defensively the Minutewomen held three BU starters to a combined 5-for-34 (14.7%) from the floor on the afternoon and just three bench points.
Junior Shakia Robinson (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) led UMass with 22 points and also grabbed eight rebounds, while shooting 8-for-16. Sixth-year senior Megan Zullo (Greenville, N.C./Farmville/N.C. State) shot 5-for-7 from three-point range and finished with 17 points and three assists. Redshirt sophomore Carolann Cloutier (Montreal, Quebec/Dawson College/Old Dominion) corralled a team-best 10 rebounds and handed out six helpers in her debut as a Minutewoman, while senior Emilie Teuscher (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) chipped in six points and six boards. Junior Jasmine Watson (South Bend, Ind./South Bend Washington) had six boards, as well, to go along with four blocks.
UMass came out of the gates running and began the contest with a 9-0 lead, keeping Boston University off the scoreboard until the 14:30 mark. The Minutewomen then pushed the advantage to 10 at 12-2, its largest margin of the opening half, courtesy of a Robinson free throw at 13:16.
However, the Terriers responded with eight straight points by Rashidat Agboola to cut the deficit to two at the 7:18 mark. Agboola posted a double-double by the intermission, with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the frame.
BU eventually leveled the score at 15, courtesy of a 13-3 run that was capped off by seven consecutive points from Alex Young.
Aided by a pair of threes from Zullo, the Minutewomen closed out the period with an 11-5 stretch over the final 4:34 of the frame to lead 26-20 at halftime.
Zullo then continued to fuel the UMass offense coming out of the break by scoring eight points in the first 3:33 of the second half to push the margin to 12 once more, 36-24.
The Terriers did not fade away, however, and surged back with eight straight points to make it a one-possession game at 43-40 with 7:42 remaining.
A pair of free throws by Cloutier with 3:50 on the clock gave UMass a seven-point cushion, but BU managed to score the next three baskets and pulled within a point of the Minutewomen with a free throw by Caroline Stewart with 1:34 to go.
Stewart missed the second attempt, though, and redshirt freshman Millie Niggeling (Sioux City, Iowa/Bishop Heelan) hit a clutch basket at the other end to bring the score to 52-49 at the 1:16 mark. A pair of key rebounds and three free throws by Robinson in the final minute helped seal the victory for UMass.
The Minutewomen shot 33.9% (19-for-56) overall against the Terriers, were 7-for-15 (46.7%) from three-point range and made 10-of-15 (66.7%) at the charity stripe, while out-rebounding BU, 50-42. It marked the first 50-rebound game for a UMass team since Feb. 2, 2006 vs. Rhode Island.
Boston University was limited to just 28.2% (20-for-71) overall, 17.6% (3-for-17) from beyond the arc and made 6-of-14 free throws (42.9%).
Agboola provided the bulk of the Terriers’ offense, finishing with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Young added 12 points and Stewart totaled eight boards.
UMass will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 16, playing its second straight at home vs. Central Connecticut at 7 p.m.
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