Jan 26, 2013
BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England scored seven of the last nine points in overtime to pull out a 74-71 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball victory over Salve Regina University on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 26) at the Harold Alfond Forum.
The triumph was the ninth consecutive for the Nor'easters (14-4, 11-0 CCC), who completed the regular-season sweep of the defending league champions. The Seahawks (10-8, 7-4) fell for just the second time in their last 11 outings.
Down 69-67 in the extra session, UNE tied things up on lay-up by first-year Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine), and senior Beth Suggs (Bath, Maine) got two on the next trip down to move the hosts in front. However, Salve sophomore Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) brought the contest back to even (71-71) with 0:42 left.
A foul on the other end sent UNE first-year Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) to the line where she made 1-of-2 to give the Nor'easters the edge. Salve had 21 seconds remaining to attempt to take the advantage back, but a steal by Big Blue rookie Michaela Flanagan (Plymouth, Mass.) led to the fouling of Suggs, who proceeded to drain a pair at the charity stripe and bump the margin up to three (74-71). It was UNE's largest lead of the day.
The Seahawks could not get a shot off before time expired.
Suggs recorded her 12th double-double of the year to pace UNE, finishing with a career-best 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting, 13 rebounds, and four assists. With rebound number 12 on the day, Suggs became the 6th player in program history to reach 800 for a career. Gribbin went 5-for-6 from the floor to end with 10 points, and dished out six assists. Sophomore Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) also reached double figures in points (10) and rebounds (10).
Hayden, Flanagan, and classmate Alanna Vose (Cushing, Maine) combined for 24 points. Hayden grabbed an additional six boards and three steals, and Flanagan picked up three more steals.
The Nor'easters out-scored their opponents 44-18 in the paint during the game. UNE also out-rebounded the Seahawks in the second half, 23-14.
For SRU, senior Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) put forth an impressive showing, tallying a game-high 27 points to go with seven assists, six steals, and five caroms. First-year Meaghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points, and junior Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) registered 11 points and eight rebounds.
Birrell powered the visitors to an early cushion (8-4), with all of her team's points in the initial 2:53 of the match. After back-and-forth action, a basket by Pendergast gave Salve a lead (13-12) it would not reliquish for more than 26 minutes.
The difference was 32-28 at halftime in favor of the Seahawks, as Birrell paced the offense with 15 points.
Salve increased the gap to as many as 10 (42-32) in the opening stages of the second period, and was still ahead by nine (51-42) with 8:40 to play.
Vose knocked down a three-pointer on UNE's next possession, sparking a 15-4 run that saw the Nor'easters assume a 57-55 advantage with 3:29 on the clock. Flanagan had five of her eight points in the stretch, including the game-tying trey.
Pendergast and Birrell put together an 8-3 spurt over the ensuing two minutes to quiet the UNE momentum and go up, 63-60.
Suggs then trimmed the Big Blue deficit to one, and, with 25 ticks left in regulation, Flanagan sunk two freebies to make it 64-63.
Though Salve's go-ahead three-point try bounced away in the waning seconds, Pendergast corralled the offensive rebound and was fouled. She made the first of two, evening things on the scoreboard to force overtime.
Both teams get right back to it on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.), as the Nor'easters host Curry College and Salve travels to Western New England University.
The triumph was the ninth consecutive for the Nor'easters (14-4, 11-0 CCC), who completed the regular-season sweep of the defending league champions. The Seahawks (10-8, 7-4) fell for just the second time in their last 11 outings.
Down 69-67 in the extra session, UNE tied things up on lay-up by first-year Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine), and senior Beth Suggs (Bath, Maine) got two on the next trip down to move the hosts in front. However, Salve sophomore Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) brought the contest back to even (71-71) with 0:42 left.
A foul on the other end sent UNE first-year Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) to the line where she made 1-of-2 to give the Nor'easters the edge. Salve had 21 seconds remaining to attempt to take the advantage back, but a steal by Big Blue rookie Michaela Flanagan (Plymouth, Mass.) led to the fouling of Suggs, who proceeded to drain a pair at the charity stripe and bump the margin up to three (74-71). It was UNE's largest lead of the day.
The Seahawks could not get a shot off before time expired.
Suggs recorded her 12th double-double of the year to pace UNE, finishing with a career-best 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting, 13 rebounds, and four assists. With rebound number 12 on the day, Suggs became the 6th player in program history to reach 800 for a career. Gribbin went 5-for-6 from the floor to end with 10 points, and dished out six assists. Sophomore Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) also reached double figures in points (10) and rebounds (10).
Hayden, Flanagan, and classmate Alanna Vose (Cushing, Maine) combined for 24 points. Hayden grabbed an additional six boards and three steals, and Flanagan picked up three more steals.
The Nor'easters out-scored their opponents 44-18 in the paint during the game. UNE also out-rebounded the Seahawks in the second half, 23-14.
For SRU, senior Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) put forth an impressive showing, tallying a game-high 27 points to go with seven assists, six steals, and five caroms. First-year Meaghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points, and junior Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) registered 11 points and eight rebounds.
Birrell powered the visitors to an early cushion (8-4), with all of her team's points in the initial 2:53 of the match. After back-and-forth action, a basket by Pendergast gave Salve a lead (13-12) it would not reliquish for more than 26 minutes.
The difference was 32-28 at halftime in favor of the Seahawks, as Birrell paced the offense with 15 points.
Salve increased the gap to as many as 10 (42-32) in the opening stages of the second period, and was still ahead by nine (51-42) with 8:40 to play.
Vose knocked down a three-pointer on UNE's next possession, sparking a 15-4 run that saw the Nor'easters assume a 57-55 advantage with 3:29 on the clock. Flanagan had five of her eight points in the stretch, including the game-tying trey.
Pendergast and Birrell put together an 8-3 spurt over the ensuing two minutes to quiet the UNE momentum and go up, 63-60.
Suggs then trimmed the Big Blue deficit to one, and, with 25 ticks left in regulation, Flanagan sunk two freebies to make it 64-63.
Though Salve's go-ahead three-point try bounced away in the waning seconds, Pendergast corralled the offensive rebound and was fouled. She made the first of two, evening things on the scoreboard to force overtime.
Both teams get right back to it on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.), as the Nor'easters host Curry College and Salve travels to Western New England University.