Box Score
Lowell, Mass. - Four players fouled out for the American International College women's basketball team, which was outscored 29-11 at the free throw line, in a 68-64 loss at UMass Lowell Saturday afternoon. The River Hawks improved to 10-5 overall and 6-5 in the Northeast-10, while the Yellow Jackets fell to 6-10 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
UMass Lowell converted 29-of-33 attempts from the free throw line, while AIC was 11-for-19. The Yellow Jackets, which had just eight total foul outs heading into today’s action, were whistled for 29 fouls to the River Hawks’ 18.
The game was tied at 19 after sophomore forward
Lauren Griffith (Toronto, Ont.) converted a layup with 5:43 to go in the first half, triggering a 13-5 run for AIC to close the period. The Yellow Jackets took a 30-24 lead into the locker room at the half and led by eight, 40-32, after senior guard Kristen Boesenberg (Pocono Pines, Pa.) sank a free throw 8:23 into the second period.
UMass Lowell then went on an 11-1 run, which included seven points at the line that was capped by a three-point play for freshman guard Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.), who was fouled while going for a layup with 8:18 to go in the contest. She made the layup and the free throw that followed to give the River Hawks a 43-41 lead.
The teams traded shots over the next two minutes before senior guard Amanda McGrew (Santa Monica, Calif.) drained a three that gave UMass Lowell the lead for good with 5:21 left on the clock. Of the final 20 points scored by the River Hawks, 13 came at the free throw line.
Senior forward Jen Valente (Prospect, Conn.) scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed six boards to lead UMass Lowell. Sophomore forward Sha’Nay Bushner (Akron, Ohio) fell just short of a double-double with 12 points and nine boards, and McGrew finished with 11 points.
Sophomore forward
Rhea Pascal (Pickering, Ont.) scored 16 points and pulled down four rebounds to lead AIC. Boesenberg finished with 11 points and five boards while sophomore guard
Michelle Lafond (Holyoke, Mass) added 10 points off the bench.
The Yellow Jackets shot 40 percent from the field, converting 24-of-60 field goals, while the River Hawks were held to 18-of-54 (33.3 percent) from the floor.
AIC will look to bounce back Wednesday when it travels to Stonehill College for a 5:30 p.m. Northeast-10 contest.