Brown University
Massachusetts
Bears Fall to Massachusetts 69-54 in Brown BEAR Basketball Classic
12/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Providence, RI- Despite a career-high 25 points by Brown
sophomore Hannah Passafuime, the University of Massachusetts earned
a 69-54 victory over the Bears during the first game of the Brown
BEAR Basketall Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Pizzitola
Sports Center. Leading the Minutewomen was Kristina Danella with 16
points, as Jasmine Watson added 13.
Kristina Danella led UMass with 13 first-half points as the squad
shot 47 percent from the field to gain a 32-21 advantage at the
half. The game started off a bit slow with both teams scoring just
nine points after the first 10 minutes of play, but it picked up
quickly as the Bears gained a 16-14 lead with 6:38 remaining in the
half. However, UMass's Danella nailed a three pointer to
regain the lead, but Brown's Sheila Dixon evened the score at
17 with a free throw. But Danella once again answered with a trey
to extend its lead to three points with 4:12 on the clock.
UMass began to make a run and outscored Bruno 12-4 in the final few
minutes to head into the locker room with a 32-21 lead. The Bears
were led by Courtney Lee's eight points, as the Bears shot
just 33 percent from the field.
The Minutewomen remained with the lead throughout the second half,
but the Bears were able to come within nine after baskets from
Sheila Dixon and three pointers by Hannah Passafuime and Lindsay Nickel. However, UMass was always able to come back down the court
and score, as the squad gained as much as a 16-point lead with 9:00
left on the clock with the help of Megan Zullo's 10 points in
that time. UMass gained as much as a 26-point lead with just 2:56
remaining in the game, but Brown's Hannah Passafuime never
gave up as she helped the Bears cut their deficit to just 15
scoring nine of her final 25 points in the final two minutes of
play.
UMass, who led Brown by just four rebounds in the first half,
out-rebounded Bruno in the second half 38-26, and forced Brown into
20 turnovers. UMass had 23 turnovers in the game and was 23-36 from
the free throw line.
The Bears finished the game shooting 36 percent from the field as
Brown went just 9 of 14 from the free throw line. UMass finished
shooting 43 percent from the field and was 10-of-27 from three
point range.
Passafuime led Brown with a career-high 25 points on eight-of-12
shooting from the field and went five-of-eight from beyond the arc.
Courtney Lee chipped in with eight points and four assists, while
Sheila Dixon added five points and two steals.
