Feb. 28, 2006

Box Score

Baltimore, Md. - Jessica Smith collected 16 points and 10 rebounds and Mykeema Ford added 14 points and six assists as Stony Brook used a strong second half to top UMBC, 62-46, on Tuesday night at the RAC Arena. The Seawolves (18-8) picked up their 18th win of the season, tying the school's Division I record while at 11-4 in league play, remained alone in second place in the America East standings. The Retrievers fell to 15-11 and 7-8.

"It was an outstanding road win with great performances from everyone," said head coach Maura McHugh. "We came out very aggressive in the second half on both ends of the court and were able to control the boards and convert on the offensive end. Now we need to keep that momentum going in our last regular season game at Maine and into the America East Tournament.

Neither team led by more than five points in a back-and-fourth first half of play. The Retrievers used a 5-0 run late in the half to take a 30-25 lead with 1:26 remaining, but the Seawolves pulled back within a point behind a pair of free throws by Farah Vasquez Jacobo and a basket by Dana Ferraro in the final minute to trail 30-29 at the break.

Stony Brook regained the lead shortly into the second behind a 16-4 run fueled by 12 points by Ford, who had gone scoreless in the first half, to take a 45-34 lead with 13:17 on the clock.

A Sidney Orndorff three pointer at 10:14 kicked off a 9-2 spurt that stretched the Seawolves lead to 13 points at 54-41 with 7:02 remaining in the contest. UMBC answered with five straight points to pull back within eight, but Smith's bucket at 4:24 began an 8-0 Stony Brook run to end the game with a 62-46 win.

For the second straight game, Ferraro joined Smith with a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Seawolves defense held the Retrievers to just 16 points on 7-for-24 shooting (29.2 percent) in the second half, while outrebounding the home team 26-7 in the second half.

Matea Pender led the Retrievers with 15 points, while Sharri Rohde added 12 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

The Seawolves close out regular season play when they travel to take on Maine on Saturday at noon. A Stony Brook win or a loss by Boston University in either of its final two games would give the Seawolves the No. 2 seed in the upcoming America East Tournament.