PHOTO GALLERY
VESTAL, N.Y. – Seniors Cherelle Moore and Amber Bepko combined for 33 points to lead the University of Hartford women's basketball team to a 58-42 rout of the New Hampshire Wildcats in the quarterfinals of the 2015 America East Championship. Hartford advances to the semifinal round where they will meet top seeded Maine with tip off set for 2 p.m.
Bepko led all scorers in the game with 18 points, 13 of which came in the second half. The guard finished the game shooting 5-of-12 from the field including 4-of-8 from beyond the three point arc while also adding four free throws in seven attempts. Moore joined Bepko and sophomore Morgan Lumb in rounding out the leading scorers as she added 15, while Lumb chipped in 10.
As a team, Hartford finished the game shooting 35.8 percent overall on 19-of-53, while making 6-of-23 three point attempts (26.1 percent). The Hawks also finished 14-of-21 at the free throw line. Defensively, the Hawks held the Wildcats to just 24.6 percent, while holding UNH to just one three pointer in 19 attempts for 5.3 percent.
Hartford also put up one of their best rebounding efforts of the season, finishing with a 48-36 advantage. Leading the way individually was Bepko who pulled in nine boards. Included in the Hawks 48 total rebounds were 15 on the offensive glass, which they turned into 14 second chance points. In addition to leading the team in points and rebounds, Bepko also pulled off a team-high four steals.
Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza closed out her second America East Championship game with nine assists, tying her career-high set twice during the regular season. Mayza finished the game one point and one rebound shy of a double double as she scored nine points, all of which came in the second half.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
· The Hawks held UNH to a 42 points, a season low for a Hartford opponent, advancing to the semifinals for the third straight season and the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. This is also the second straight season Hartford has won its quarterfinal match-up, entering the tournament as the fifth seed in both instances. Last year, the Hawks defeated Maine in overtime.
· Senior Amber Bepko led Hartford in scoring (18 points), rebounds (nine) and steals (4), her team-high 21st time scoring in double Figures, while she has led the team in scoring 14 times. Bepko scored 13 of her 18 points in the second half, while she finished the game shooting 5-of-12 overall, with four of her made field goals came from beyond the three point arc. She also added four points at the free throw line. Her nine rebounds is the second time in the last three games that she has led the team in scoring.
· Bepko was joined by two Hawks in double figures including classmate Cherelle Moore who chipped in 15 points while sophomore guard Morgan Lumb finished with 10. Moore finished the game shooting 5-of-11 from the field while adding five points at the free throw line, missing just one attempt. Lumb finished the afternoon 4-of-8 overall, with two of her baskets coming from beyond the arc.
· The Hawks posted their largest rebounding margin of the season, finishing with 48 rebounds, while holding the Wildcats to 36. Bepko's nine rebounds led Hartford while Lumb and freshman Darby Lee each finished with seven. Included in Hartford 48 rebounds were 15 on the offensive glass, which they turned into 14 second chance points. The Hawks first four points all came on second chance opportunities.
· Combined, Hartford outshot New Hampshire 46 percent (19-of-53) to 25 percent (15-of-61), the 15th time this season the Hawks have shot better than the opposition. When outshooting its opponent, Hartford is 13-2 overall. Included in the defensive efforts for Hartford was holding the Wildcats to just one three pointer in 19 attempts which results in a 5.3 percent effort.
FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS
· Hartford finished the first half with an 11-0 advantage on second chance points, those all coming on eight offensive rebounds. The Hawks first four points and seven of the first 10 all came on second chance opportunities. Hartford also led UNH in points in the paint, finishing the first half with a 12-4 advantage. Overall, the Hawks held a 27-15 rebounding advantage at the intermission.
· Senior Cherelle Moore led the Hawks in the opening half, finishing with 10 points, the only player to finish with double digits. She finished the half making 4-of-6 attempts from the field, while also going 2-of-3 at the free throw line. Moore also pulled down five rebounds, tied with classmate Shanise Bultron for the team lead.
· Facing their only deficit of the afternoon, Hartford rattled off seven straight points all of which came courtesy of Moore. That run erased the deficit and doubled up the Wildcats 12-6 with just under 12 minutes remaining. The Hawks would extend that rally to 14-2, resulting in their largest lead of the half, 19-8 with 2:41 remaining before the break. During the 14-2 rally, the Hawks held New Hampshire to 1-of-16 shooting.
SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS
· Hartford came out of the locker room and regained a seven point advantage, scoring five of the first seven points to take a 24-17 advantage.
· After the Wildcats pulled within a single point, Hartford responded by rattling off 12 straight points and 22 of the next 25 to take a 20-point advantage at 46-26 with 7:33 remaining. The longer of the runs lasted over eight minutes and included four three pointers, two each from senior Amber Bepko and sophomore Morgan Lumb.
· The Hawks opened up their largest lead of the game with 5:30 remaining thanks to a 2-of-2 effort at the free throw line from sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza, that resulted in a 49-28 lead. This is the third time this season that Hartford has opened up a 20-point or more lead against an opponent.
· Bepko led the Hawks in the second half with 13 of her 18 points coming on 3-of-5 shooting, with all three of those baskets from beyond the three point arc. She also added four points at the free throw line.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· Hartford improved to 4-0 all-time against the Wildcats when meeting in the America East tournament. Including today's win, Hartford has held New Hampshire to 38.3 points-per-game over the three most recent meetings. In addition to holding UNH to 42 points in today's quarterfinal, the Hawks held the Wildcats to 35 points in 2010 and 38 points in 2005
· As a team, the Hawks posted their largest rebounding margin of the season with a 48-36 advantage over the Wildcats. When outrebounding its opponent in 2015, the Hawks are a perfect 6-0. Leading the rebounding efforts was senior Amber Bepko who finished with nine.
· Leading Hartford to the quarterfinal win over New Hampshire was its senior class, which combined for 35 of the 58 total points. Bepko led all players in the game with 18 points, her team-leading 21st time scoring in double figures, while it is the 14th time she has led the team in scoring.
· In addition to nine points, all of which came in the second half, sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza dished out nine assists, leading all players in the game. The nine assists for Mayza matches her career-high which she has set two times previous this season.
· In addition to Bepko leading the team in scoring and rebounding, the senior guard finished with a team-high four steals.
· In addition to scoring 15 points against the Wildcats, senior Cherelle Moore set a career milestone in the America East quarterfinal as she became the 16th member all-time of the 500 rebound club. Moore finished the game with five rebounds.
TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)
· Hartford advances to its third-straight semifinal and the 10th in the last 11 years with the quarterfinal victory over New Hampshire
· SR Amber Bepko (18) and Cherelle Moore (15) combined to score 33 points and lead the Hawks into the semifinals.
· SO PG Deanna Mayza tied her career high with nine assists, the third time this season she has dished out nine.
UP NEXT
The Hawks continue their quest for a sixth America East Championship on Sunday, March 8 when they face the top seeded Maine Black Bears for a chance making the program's ninth appearance in the title game.
