West Hartford, CT - The University of Hartford women's basketball team picked up its third-straight conference victory in an 85-52 defeat over UMBC at Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion on Tuesday evening. The win matches the fifth-highest point output in a single game and is the most scored since the 2001 season (89 vs. UNC-Asheville) and it is the fourth time under the direction of head coach Jennifer Rizzotti that Hartford has scored 85 or more points.
The Hawks (8-7 overall, 3-0 America East) were led by freshman guard Ilicia Mathis who scored 17 total points, a career-high for the rookie. Mathis was named the Nestle Purina ONE America East Player of the Game for Hartford. It is the third time in four games that Mathis has surpassed her previous high point's total. Mathis also set career-highs with seven field goals made (7-of-9) and three assists, while tying her career-high in three-point field goals made with two (2-for-2).
Mathis 17 points came in just 19 minutes of action, while she also sparked the Hawks following the opening tip by scoring nine of the first 13 points of the game, including both of her three pointers. She also finished with two steals.
Also setting a career-high in points was sophomore guard Mary Silvia, who finished with 13 points. She finished the game shooting 6-of-8 from the field, while also grabbing three rebounds Joining Mathis and Silvia in double figures was senior point guard Lisa Etienne and senior guard MaryLynne Schaefer, who finished with 15 and 11 points respectively.
The Hawks put out their highest first half point total in recent memory, scoring 57 points, at one point leading the Retrievers (9-7 overall, 1-2 America East) by a 27-3 margin with less than eight minutes played in the game. The Hawks 57-points in the first half matches the fourth-highest total for points in a single game in America East history, the record is 60 points (1997, Maine). In the first 20 minutes, the Hawks defense held UMBC to just 16 points and forced them into 16 turnovers, scoring 21 points off turnovers. Hartford finished the first half shooting 68 percent (23-of-34).
For the game, Hartford shot 53 percent from the field (34-of-64) and held UMBC to 36 percent shooting (22-of-62). Hartford also finished with a season-best of 23 assists, led by Etienne and Diana Delva who each had four. The Hawks 23 assists is just three shy of the school record for assists in a single game. Hartford's win puts them over the .500 mark on the season for the first time since December 6.
The Retrievers, who average more than 75 points-per-game, matched their lowest output of the season (52 points) which matches their score at Vermont in the America East opener. UMBC was led by the conference leading scorer Carlee Cassidy, who scored 16 points and was named the Retrievers America East Player of the Game.
The Hawks return to action on Wednesday, January 21 at Boston University, one of two teams who was able to knock off Hartford last season on the road. The Hawks and Terriers will knot-up at 7:00 p.m. and the game can be heard live on WWUH 91.3 FM, the flagship station for Hartford women's basketball.
