AMHERST – University of Massachusetts women’s basketball team edged out a 58-53 victory over in-state rivals UMass Lowell on Sunday afternoon at Mullins Center. Graduate student Sam Breen led the effort with a season best 26 points and 13 rebounds to record her seventh double-double of the season, and 30th of her career.
UMass improves to 9-1 on the year, marking one of the best starting records for the Minutewomen since the 2002-03 season, including nine wins to begin a year since 1968-69.
In addition to Breen leading the Minutewomen, Destiney Philoxy registered nine points on the day, while Sydney Taylor followed with seven of her own, including six points coming from behind the arc. Philoxy also led the team in assists with four. Angelique Ngalakulondi came down with six boards, all offensive, and Ber’Nyah Mayo had a team best four steals.
Massachusetts had 32 points in the paint and collected 23 points off turnovers. In second chance points, the Minutewomen outshot the River Hawks, 16-9. Both UMass and UMass Lowell tallied 40 rebounds.
With a pair of points traded to begin the first quarter, the Maroon and White went on a 5-0 run to make it a 7-2 contest. UMass continued to extend its lead to 14-5 with a 7-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Taylor. Breen added six more points, while Mayo added one from the free throw line to remain ahead, 21-15, heading into the second.
UMass pulled ahead further in the second, increasing its lead to 25-19, but the River Hawks tallied five points to only be behind by one point at 25-24. Two made free throws and three layups helped the Minutewomen push the lead to 33-28 with 00:31 seconds left on the clock. UMass Lowell made a layup at the 00:05 mark, bringing the game a score of 33-30 entering halftime.
A 14-2 run for River Hawks throughout the third quarter allowed the team to take a 44-35, but Philoxy and Breen put up four points combined on two good jumpers, while Philoxy added one more point from the charity stripe to go on a 5-0 run, closing the gap to only four.
The River Hawks increased their total to 47, before Ngalakulondi brought the Minutewomen back within one with her layup and Breen pushed UMass to a 48-47 lead. Ngalakulondi made another layup and Taylor drained her second three-pointer of the afternoon, allowing the Maroon and White to be ahead, 53-47. Five more points for UMass helped seal the deal, ending with a final score of 58-53.
UMass hosts in-state foe Boston College on Wednesday, December 8, for a 7 p.m. start. The game will be streamed on NESN+.
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