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WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Cherelle Moore scored a game-high 20 points to lead all scorers as the University of Hartford women's basketball team had a late comeback bid come up short, falling to the UMass Lowell River Hawks 65-62 on Saturday afternoon.
Moore was the only Hawk to finish in double figures with senior Amber Bepko and sophomore Deanna Mayza joining her in leading the team with nine and eight points, respectively. All nine of Bepko's points came from beyond the three point arc as she finished 3-of-8 from outside. Mayza finished the contest perfect from the field 3-of-3 overall, including a pair of three pointers, while also leading all players with six assists.
For the game, Hartford shot 46.3 percent from the field 25-of-54, including making 7-of-19 attempts from beyond the three point arc for 36.8 percent. The Hawks also added five points at the free throw line in six total attempts. Moore also led the Hawks rebounding efforts, pulling in seven boards as Hartford trailed in the battle of the boards 30-28.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
· Senior forward Cherelle Moore scored 20 points to lead all players in the game. Her 20 points represents the fourth time this season she has finished with 20 or more points. Overall for the game, Moore finished 9-of-18 from the field, while adding a pair of points at the free throw line. She also led the team with seven rebounds.
· Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza finished the game without missing a field goal attempt, adding eight points to the Hawks efforts. Her eight points came on three total field goals, including a pair from outside the three point arc. All eight of Mayza's points came in the first half, while she also led all players in the game with six assists, with all six coming in the second half.
· Senior guard Amber Bepko had a string of nine straight games scoring in double figures cut short when she finished with nine points all from beyond the three point arc and all in the second half. Bepko finished the game shooting 3-of-8 from the field.
· Hartford trailed in the battle of the boards 30-28, however the Hawks outmatched UMass Lowell in second chance points as they turned eight offensive rebounds into 12 points. The River Hawks netted just nine second chance points.
· The Hawks finished the game with 16 total assists on their 25 field goals, led by Mayza's six. Overall eight of the 12 Hawks who saw action against the River Hawks dished out at least one assist.
FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS
· Senior Cherelle Moore and sophomore Deanna Mayza led the Hawks scoring efforts in the first half, each finishing with eight points. Mayza finished the opening half perfect from the field as she shot 3-of-3 overall, with two of those baskets from outside the three point arc.
· The Hawks rattled off an 8-0 run while holding the River Hawks without a basket over a four minute stretch. That run, which included baskets from four different players, resulted in the Hawks first lead of the contest, a 13-11 advantage with 12:21 remaining. Sophomore Alyssa Reaves provided the go-ahead basket on a layup thanks to a feed from classmate Morgan Lumb.
· The Hawks largest lead of the game came with just under five minutes remaining in the half as Moore followed a jumper from Mayza with a pair of free throws that provided a 27-18 edge.
SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS
· The first eight points for the Hawks in the second half all came from senior Cherelle Moore as she pulled the Hawks within five with 16:27 remaining in the game.
· The Hawks began their comeback bid with just under eight minutes remaining as they rattled off seven unanswered points and extended that run to 9-1 as they limited UMass Lowell to a single free throw over a span of 3:24. The first two baskets in that rally came from freshman Cassidy Bundy, with the first coming on a second chance opportunity.
· The Hawks would cut the deficit down to a single possession thanks to back-to-back three pointers from senior Amber Bepko, both on assists from point guard Deanna Mayza. Those two baskets pulled Hartford within two, 61-59 with 2:09 remaining.
· A three pointer from Morgan Lumb would cut the River Hawks lead to one, 63-62. Following two UMass Lowell free throws, a last second three pointer from Moore was off the mark.
· Moore led the Hawks scoring in the second half as she finished with 12 points, shooting 50 percent from the field on 6-of-12.
· Mayza collected all six of her game-high assists in the second half, while also grabbing a pair of steals.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· The 20 points from senior Cherelle Moore marks the ninth time this season a Hawk has finished with 20 or more points, and is a team-high fourth time for Moore.
· Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza's six assists is the second-straight game she has dished out five or more, a feat she has accomplished 16 times in 2014-15. She has also led the team in assists a total of 22 times in 26 total games.
· Senior Amber Bepko scored all nine of her points from beyond the three point arc, which represents the sixth time this season that all of her made field goals have come from the outside. It is also the second time in the last three games as all five of her field goals against Binghamton (Feb. 4) also came from beyond the arc.
· Mayza's six assists were part of 16 in 25 total field goals. Overall eight of the 12 Hawks who saw time against UMass Lowell dished out at least one assist.
TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)
· Sophomore Deanna Mayza dished out a game-high six assists, her 22nd time leading the team in assists and her 16th time with five or more.
· Senior Cherelle Moore led the Hawks with 20 points, the ninth time a Hawks has scored 20 or more points and the fourth for Moore.
UP NEXT
The Hawks will play their next two games on the road, the final two regular season road contests. First on the schedule will be a visit to Durham, N.H., to meet the New Hampshire Wildcats. Tip off at Lundholm Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18. The game will be televised locally on WBIN and Fox College Sports
