Belanger Eclipses 1,000 Career Points in Women's Basketball's 67-60 Loss to Penn

Sunday, November 22

Durham, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

3-1, 0-0AE

University of Pennsylvania

3-1, 0-0Ivy

PENN

New Hampshire

Elizabeth Belanger becomes the 19th player in program history to amass 1,000 points.

Photo by: Greg Greene

Belanger Eclipses 1,000 Career Points in Women's Basketball's 67-60 Loss to Penn

11/22/2015 2:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. - Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) scored her 1,000th career point and set a career high in rebounding, but the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team was defeated 67-60 by the University of Pennsylvania at Lundholm Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon.

UNH slipped to 3-1 on the season, while Penn improved to 3-1 in the non-conference tilt.

Belanger shot 8-for-15 for a team-high 21 points, and notched her second double-double in a row by pulling down a career-high 13 rebounds. The senior guard hit the 1,000-point milestone on a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. She is the 19th player in program history to accomplish the feat. Sophomore center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) and senior forward Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.) also recorded double-digit scoring efforts, posting tallies of 12 and 11, respectively.

The Wildcats connected on 23 of 60 (38.3 percent) attempts from the field and made 3 of 8 (37.5 percent) from beyond the arc. New Hampshire converted all 11 of its free throw attempts. UNH held the edge in rebounding (39-37) and points in the paint (32-24).

Anna Ross set a career best with a game-high 25 points for the Quakers, who improved to 2-0 all-time against the Wildcats. Ross knocked down 8 of 11 shots from the field, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range. She also went 6 of 7 from the free throw line. Sophomore forward Michelle Nwokedi was one rebound shy of a double-double, notching 12 points and nine boards. She also turned in two blocks and two steals. Junior forward Sydney Stipanovich bolstered the offense with 14 points while registering four steals and six rebounds.

The Quakers drilled 24 of 58 (41.4 percent) from the floor and 7 of 18 (38.9 percent) from 3-point range.

Penn dashed out to a quick 4-0 lead as Kasey Chambers and Ross each registered baskets out of the gate. UNH countered as junior guard Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) knocked down a triple from the corner to pull within one with 7:36 left in the opening quarter. After a 3-pointer by Ross, field goals from Pogue and Belanger knotted the score at the seven mark at the midway point of the frame. The two sides exchanged scores, but a trey by sophomore guard Beth Brzozowski followed by a layup from Ross gave the Quakers a 16-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Ross opened the scoring in the second frame with a layup, but the 'Cats countered with field goals from Coia and Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) to trail 18-15. The Quakers engineered a 9-0 run, powered by seven points from Michelle Nwokedi to extend their lead to double digits at 27-15 with 5:01 left in the second stanza. UNH tried to narrow the deficit as Belanger and Coia made scores at 3:47 and 2:27. However, field goals by Stipanovich and Ross closed out the scoring in the half as Penn entered the locker rooms with a 34-19 lead.

The Wildcats started the second half with a 5-0 run. Coia notched a layup while fouled and completed the three-point play by hitting her ensuing free throw. Belanger then drove to the basket and hit another layup for New Hampshire. Penn managed to slow down the run as the two sides trading scores until Lauren Whitlatch and Nwokedi both drained triples to build its largest lead of the afternoon a 46-30 with 4:05 left in the quarter. Free throws by Pogue and Anderson coupled with baskets by Belanger and Pogue narrowed the deficit to 53-42 entering the final frame of regulation.

Penn and New Hampshire traded scores out of the chute, but the home team started to rally. Belanger started the run with a pair of free throws. Sophomore guard Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) continued the surge with a 3-pointer. After a defensive stop, Pogue logged a layup to whittle the Penn lead down to 56-49 with 7:37 left in regulation. Brzozowski slowed down the home team scoring barrage with a free throw, but scores from Belanger, Pogue and Coia made it a one-score game at 59-56 with 2:00 showing on the scoreboard. Penn turned the ball over on its next possession as Belanger scooped up the loose ball. She knocked down the fastbreak jumper to pull the Wildcats within a point at 59-58 as the visitors opted to use a timeout with 1:19 on the clock. The Quakers were determined to put the game out of reach. The visitors clamped down defensively and constructed a timely 8-2 run down the stretch to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season.

UNH returns to action with a home game against Manhattan College on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit UNHWildcats.com or call 603-862-4000.

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