Four Players in Double Figures Lead Women's Basketball Past Central Connecticut, 64-50

Sunday, November 29

New Britain, Conn.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

5-1

Central Connecticut State University

1-5

New Hampshire

Central Connecticut

Photo by: Greg Greene

Four Players in Double Figures Lead Women's Basketball Past Central Connecticut, 64-50

11/29/2015 2:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- A quartet of double-digit scorers helped lead the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team to Sunday's 64-50 victory over Central Connecticut State University at Detrick Gymnasium.

UNH posts back-to-back wins and improves to 5-1 in the non-conference tilt. CCSU slips to 1-5. The Wildcats' 5-1 start to the 2015-16 ledger marks the best start under head coach Maureen Magarity and the program's first since the 2005-06 season.

Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) led all scorers with 17 points. She knocked down 7 of 14 shots from the floor and went 3-for-3 from the free throw line. Classmate Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) set a new personal best in scoring for the third time this season with 15 points off the bench. Senior forward Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.) and junior guard Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 and 12, respectively. Anderson, Belanger and Spoto all ripped down six rebounds.

The Wildcats finished the game shooting 21 of 47 (44.7 percent) from the floor, including 12 of 23 (52.2 percent) in the second half. From the free throw line, UNH drained 83.3 percent (20 of 24) of its attempts. New Hampshire won the rebounding battle by a 35-22 margin.

Central Connecticut was led by a pair of 12-point performances from sophomores Camden Musgrave and Emma Stroyan. Freshman guard Kiana Patterson pitched in eight points off the bench, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers. Senior forward TeJahne Malone paced the Blue Devils on the glass with five rebounds.

CCSU converted 17 of 45 (37.8 percent) from the field and 5 of 19 (26.3 percent) from 3-point range. The Blue Devils hit 11 of 14 (78.6 percent) shots from the charity stripe. Malone and Stroyan accounted for eight of Central Connecticut's 13 steals.

Both teams struggled to get any offensive momentum going out of the chute. The Blue Devils were able to strike first with an up-tempo pace, engineering a 6-0 run. The Wildcats were able to get on the board as Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) made a layup in transition at the 5:30 mark. After a Peyton Booth (Wadsworth, Ohio) free throw, Spoto corralled a rebound off the missed free throw by Booth. She drove into the paint and registered a field goal with a hook shot to pull the 'Cats within one. CCSU halted the 5-0 run by the visitors with a triple from Nicole Ferguson. Spoto concluded the scoring in the first quarter with a jumper as the Wildcats trailed 9-7.

New Hampshire turned to Spoto again for points to start the second quarter to tie it at 9-9. The two sides traded scores, upping the score at 11 apiece. UNH posted its first lead of the game, generating an 8-0 surge. Spoto started the run with a mid-range baseline jumper. After a Central Connecticut turnover, Coia snagged her own missed shot and registered the second-chance basket to lead 15-11 midway through the second stanza. Pogue and Coia punctuated the run with scores as the Wildcats looked up at a 19-11 advantage with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter. Stroyan and Musgrave made it a two-score game for the Blue Devils. On the last possession of the half by the 'Cats, Belanger was able to drive up the middle of the court and bank in a buzzer-beater from inside the arc to give the visitors a 21-15 lead at halftime.

The offense picked up in the third quarter for both sides as each team chalked up at least 20 points in the frame. Anderson knocked down a jumper to open the scoring in the third quarter. After a layup by Stroyan, Coia drove the baseline to draw a foul and convert a layup. After completing the three-point play, the Wildcats carved out a 26-17 lead with 7:51 remaining in the stanza. New Hampshire and Central Connecticut traded blows as the score increased to 41-30 with 1:47 left in the quarter. The Blue Devils closed out the third stanza with a 5-1 run, sparked by a triple from Patterson as the home team trailed 42-35.

Central Connecticut looked to rally in the final 10 minutes of play. After an alley-oop by Belanger, the Blue Devils retaliated with a quick score from freshman forward Andi Lydon. CCSU made a defensive stop and narrowed the deficit to four as Musgrave sunk a trey from the top of the arc. New Hampshire called timeout as Central Connecticut trailed 44-40 with 8:20 left in regulation. Breaking out of the huddle, the Wildcats responded with a 3-pointer from Anderson to ignite a 11-2 run. Belanger and Coia bolstered the run with a flurry of baskets as UNH extended its lead to 55-42 with 3:48 left on the clock. The Blue Devils tried to narrow the deficit down to single digits. However, the 'Cats maintained a minimum 11-point lead for the remainder of the game as the visitors clinched the 64-50 road win.

UNH returns to Durham to start a three-game homestand. The Wildcats begin the home swing by welcoming Beantown foe Northeastern University to Lundholm Gymnasium for non-conference action on Wednesday, Dec. 2 (7 p.m.). For tickets, visit UNHWildcats.com or call 603-862-4000.

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