Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Aly Young (Lodi, Calif.) had a game-high 18 points but a 9-0 run from Albany in the final minutes of the game helped the Great Danes defeat the Stony Brook women's basketball team, 65-58, at the Stony Brook Arena on Saturday afternoon. The game was the final activity of Stony Brook's celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Stony Brook drops its record to 6-19, 1-11 in America East play. Albany is 11-15, 9-4.

I was pleased how we played in the second half but down the stretch we didn't execute," head coach Michele Cherry said. "We weren't able to box out as efficiently as we're capable of and that hurt us."

Both teams struggled from the field in the first half, combining to shoot just 10-of-43 in the first 12 minutes. After Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) hit a jumper to cut Albany's lead to 15-14 with 7:26 remaining, Albany went on a 9-0 run, helped by two threes from Kristin Higy, to take a 10-point advantage.

Trailing 29-17 at the half and after Gia Sanders hit a jumper for Albany, Stony Brook started to regain its shooting touch. A basket from senior Dana Ferraro (Middlesex, N.J.) and a three from Horsey cut the lead to 29-24. Higy answered the Stony Brook surge with a three and Tanika Thrower had a layup to give Albany its fourth double-digit lead of the game, 34-24.

The Seawolves got hot and used a 12-0 run over four and a half minutes to take a 36-34 lead. Young had seven points during the spurt as SBU took advantage of five Albany missed five shots and five turnovers.

With 6:02 remaining in the game Ferraro's offensive rebound, her eighth of the game, enabled her to became just the second player in Stony Brook women's basketball history to record 1,000 career rebounds. She finished with a game-high 11.

The action went back and forth as the lead exchanged hands 10 times. After sophomore Crystal Rushin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) drove the lane and hit a layup, the Seawolves went cold and Albany utilized a 9-0 run to take a commanding 62-54 lead. Albany hit five free throws in the final minute of the game for a 65-58 win.

Young's 18 points earned her America East player of the game honors. Ferraro's 10 points and 11 boards was the 26th double double she's recorded. Freshmen Kirsten Jeter added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Higy had a team-high 17 points to be named Albany's America East player of the game. Janea Aiken had 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Stony Brook is home for Binghamton University on Wednesday evening. Tip-off against the Bearcats is at 7 pm.

For tickets and more information, please call (631) 632-WOLF.