WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS SEASON FINALE TO BU, 79-65

Sunday, February 28

2 pm

University of New Hampshire

Boston U.

2/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

BOSTON, Mass. - Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) dropped in a team-high 15 points, but the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team fell to Boston University, 79-65, on Sunday afternoon at Case Gymnasium.

With the loss the Wildcats fall to 8-21 and 3-13 in America East play, while the Terriers improve to 15-13 and 11-5 in conference action.

Beliveau was chosen as New Hampshire's America East Player of the Game, rounding out the afternoon with nine rebounds and two steals. Alex Young earned Player of the Game honors for BU, registering a game-high 27 points, paired with four assists and three boards.

Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) notched her fourth double-double of the season, tallying 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, along with two blocks and two steals. Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) scored a career-high 15 points and collected three rebounds.

Wells opened up the action drawing first blood for New Hampshire, lacing a 3-pointer 20 seconds into the game, but it was BU that would control the early portion of the contest, putting together 22-9 run that lasted 7:40. Young led the way for the Terriers, scoring 10 points during the stretch.

Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y.) snapped the run as she buried a jumper, setting off a string of six unanswered points by the 'Cats, cutting the score to 22-18 at 9:08. Despite the run, BU was quick to respond, putting together a 16-6 run over the course of the next 4:14, building its lead to 14.

However, UNH wouldn't go down easily in closing moments of the first stanza, as a Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) jumper sparked a 9-4 run by the Wildcats to close out the frame. Williams finished off the run, lacing a jumper at the buzzer, to bring the score to 42-33 at the intermission.

The Terriers started the second half scoring seven unanswered points, as Young kicked things off with a 3-pointer, helping BU build its lead to 16 with 18:44 remaining. Even with the quick start, Wells ignited the 'Cats, knocking down three consecutive jumpers on three straight trips up the floor. Beliveau finished off the string of points with a 3-pointer at 15:36, bringing the score to 50-42 in favor of the home team.

Caroline Stewart would break up the run netting three points the old-fashioned-way, but UNH kept up the heat, responding with a 7-2 scoring stretch, that got the 'Cats within six points, setting the score at 55-49 with 12:54 to play.

However, that would be as close as the Wildcats would come the rest of the way, as the Terriers came back with a 23-10 run that lasted just over nine minutes, eliminating any chance of a comeback by New Hampshire. With the score set at 78-59, the Wildcats scored six of the game's last seven points, cutting the final deficit to 14, as Wells polished off the stretch burying a layup with 29 seconds remaining.

Chantell Alford tallied 13 points, nine assists and three steals in the contest for the Terriers. Stewart also registered 13 points, while also pulling in a game-high 10 rebounds.

The ninth-seeded Wildcats return to action on Thursday, March 4 (6 p.m.) when they take on eighth-seeded Maine in the first round of the America East Women's Basketball Championships at Hartford's Chase Arena.