Second Half Run, Strong Defense Leads UAlbany to 64-50 Win over Colgate
ALBANY, N.Y. – In front of UAlbany women’s basketball royalty, the Great Danes snapped their two-game losing streak with a second half surge for a 64-50 victory over Colgate on Sunday.
Before the game, UAlbany honored the careers of Ebone Henry and Julie Forster, officially retiring their numbers of #5 and #11 respectively. Both Henry and Forster were present with UAlbany Athletic Director Dr. Lee McElroy for a ceremony at center court.
“This game was about getting a win for Ebone [Henry] and Julie [Forster],” says UAlbany coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. “Megan [Craig] being in helped get Shereesha [Richards] and Tammy [Phillip] open and helped us run our offense.”
Shereesha Richards earned her sixth double-double of the year, finishing the game with 21 points and 14 rebounds.
“It was important to win this game after we lost our last two,” says Richards. “We had to comeback with a fight to win it for Ebone [Henry] and Julie [Forster] and not come back from the holiday with three losses.”
Tying a career-high with four three-pointers, Erin Coughlin went 4-8 from three for 12 points and three assists. Sarah Royals finished with 14 points and two assists on the game, moving into 15th all-time in career assists at UAlbany with 214.
“We knew we had to run this team,” says Royals. “We knew they would double team our frontcourt, so we tried to beat them down the court and get scores.”
UAlbany fired away from three early, with each Coughlin and Margarita Rosario connecting. A pair by Coughlin helps give UAlbany an early advantage, adding a couple of attacks in the paint by Richards to build a 15-8 UAlbany lead after five-and-a-half.
The Great Danes struggled from the field for the upcoming nine minutes as Colgate went on a 13-4 run, forcing UAlbany to call timeout when Colgate took a 21-19 lead. UAlbany held Colgate without a basket for the final 6:17 of the half, retaking the advantage 24-23 going into the locker room.
Out of halftime, Colgate retook the lead until UAlbany went on a 5-0 run started by a Royals layup and one. Both teams traded points back and forth when a Paige Kriftcher three at the top of the arch pushed Colgate up 39-36 with 10:50 remaining in the 2nd.
Coughlin came alive at that moment, hitting a three-pointer in two consecutive possessions. Richards added layups and Royals contributed a fastbreak layup as the Great Danes built a 14-0 run, surging ahead 50-39. In that run, UAlbany did not allow a basket in over six minutes.
Colgate stopped the streak with a layup and one from Josie Stockill, but UAlbany did not relinquish the lead again. UAlbany has constantly fouled as the team went to the free throw line to add to its lead, finishing with the win 64-50.
No Colgate player reached double digit scoring. Missy Repoli was closest, leading the team with nine points. Carole Harris ended the game with eight points and six rebounds.
UAlbany will break for the holiday and will next play in Long Island against Hofstra on Wednesday, January 1st at 2 p.m.
