ALBANY, N.Y. – For the first time since Feb. 22, 2015, the Stony Brook women's basketball team has reigned victorious over UAlbany. The Seawolves took down the Great Danes in a dominant 68-52 win at the SEFCU Arena on Wednesday night to also secure home court advantage in the America East Quarterfinals.
 
The team was powered by the senior G duo of Shania Johnson (Frederick, Md.) and Jerell Matthews (Chicago, Ill.), who combined for 43 points. Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, five assists, four steals and four rebounds. Matthews had a perfect night, going 4-4 from the floor and 6-6 from the free throw line while also adding in five assists, three steals and two blocks.
 
The team now has sole possession of third place in the America East with a 9-4 conference mark. Maine paces the league with a 12-1 record while Hartford ranks second (11-2).

McCOMBS REACTION
"I thought we came out well. We really executed, shared the ball and moved the ball. Obviously when you can knock down your shots, things are going to go well for you."
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Stony Brook came out flying in the first quarter, going on a 25-0 run en route to a 25-6 lead after the game's first 10 minutes.
• The run featured five made threes, with four of them coming consecutively as Johnson, redshirt-sophomore F Oksana Gouchie-Provencher (Montreal, Canada) and Matthews all hit from long range.
• At the end of the quarter, the Seawolves were shooting 71.4 percent from both the floor and from beyond the arc.
• UAlbany turned things up a notch in the second period, outscoring Stony Brook by a 15-9 margin from to cut its deficit to 13 at halftime, but couldn't keep up in the second half as the Seawolves continue their hot streak, shooting 61.6 percent in the third and 50 percent in the fourth.
• Johnson put the exclamation point on the win, swishing through a step-back three with seven seconds left on the clock in regulation.
• The team's defense was in full throttle thorughout, holding the Great Danes below their season averages in points (54.2), rebounds (36.7) and 3-point percentage (29.4) while Stony Brook exceeded their averages in points (65.4), field goal percentage (42.3) and 3-point percentage (32.6).
• UAlbany was held to just one made three, which came in the fourth quarter.
• The Seawolves ultimately ended the evening with 54.5 percent overall shooting and a stellar 64.7 percent performance from beyond the arc.

NOTES

• In addition to beating UAlbany for the first time in four years, this is also the first time in five years that Stony Brook has topped the Great Danes on their home court.
• Johnson is just four 3-pointers away from tying the school record in career threes.
• Mykeema Ford (2003-07) currently holds the standard with 181 made shots from behind the arc.
• Matthews currently checks in at No. 5 all-time in the same category with 125 triples.
• Johnson also ranks second in school history in single-season made threes (82) and is 13 away from matching her own record that she set last year (95).
• Matthews also joins Johnson in the top-10, tying for eighth in program history with 49 baskets from behind the arc this season.
• Gouchie-Provencher led all players on the floor with three blocks, putting her tied for seventh all-time in single-season blocks (38).
• Johnson's 26 points on the night were just three away from her career high, which was set last season at UAlbany.
• This is just the sixth 20-win season in program history and the third in Stony Brook's DI era.
• The last came in 2013-14 when then-Head Coach Beth O'Boyle led the Seawolves to a 24-9 mark and an appearance in the WNIT Tournament.

UP NEXT
Stony Brook continues its road stretch to Maine, facing the Black Bears on Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Augusta Civic Center. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.