Women’s Basketball Falls to Massachusetts at Turkey Tip-Off, 90-61

Saturday, November 24

Providence, R.I.

2:00 PM

Brown University

4-3

Massachusetts

4-2

Massachusetts

Brown

Women’s Basketball Falls to Massachusetts at Turkey Tip-Off, 90-61

11/24/2018 5:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Tournament Central

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior guard Shayna Mehta scored 18 points, and junior guard Justine Gaziano netted 15 points, but Brown University women's basketball fell to the University of Massachusetts, 90-61, on Saturday afternoon at the Pizzitola Sports Center.

On the second day of the 2018 Brown University Turkey Tip-Off Presented by Elite Physical Therapy, the Bears (4-3) remained within 55-44 late in the third quarter before the Minutewomen (4-2) took a 67-47 lead at the end of the third and expanded that margin in the final frame with the game's last 14 points.

"I give UMass credit for hitting a lot of shots and making it difficult for us on offense," Brown head coach Sarah Behn said. "With that being said, we know that we are capable of executing much better at both ends of the court. We made a run in the third quarter but could not come all the way back. We will learn from this and get ready for Bucknell tomorrow."

Mehta (San Francisco, Calif.) hit 4-of-9 shots from 3-point distance as part of her 18 points and added four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. She now has 212 career made 3-pointers, moving into ninth place in Ivy League history. She has averaged a tournament-high 18.5 points per game through the first two days of the Turkey Tip-Off and has scored in double figures in all seven games this year.

Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) connected on 4-of-11 shots from behind the arc and chipped in four boards with her 15 points. She scored in double figures for the 50^th time in her career and now has 986 career points.

Senior guard Taylor Will (Arlington Heights, Ill.) posted 12 points and three assists, making 2-of-5 3-point field goals. She scored in double figures for the fourth time this year and 35^th time in her career. Senior forward Mary Butler (Bangor, Maine) tallied eight points on 4-of-6 shooting with four boards, three assists, and two blocks.

For the game, UMass shot 55.9 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point territory. The Minutewomen held a 48-12 advantage in points in the paint. Brown moved to 1-1 at the Turkey Tip-Off after beating Fairfield, 68-49, on Friday. UMass improved to 1-1 at the event following a 77-58 loss to Bucknell on Friday.

In the second game of the day, Bucknell (4-2) topped Fairfield (2-3), 77-54, behind a game-high 19 points from Ellie Mack. The Bison improved to 2-0 at the event while the Stags dropped to 0-2.

Senior forward Erika Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) netted the Bears' first four points of the game before consecutive 3-pointers from Gaziano cut Brown's deficit to 15-12 with 3:50 to go in the first quarter. A baseline jumper from Butler off a pass from Mehta kept the Bears within 19-14 of the Minutewomen at the end of one.

After Mehta hit a 3-pointer early in the second quarter, UMass used an 8-0 run to go ahead 29-17 with 5:09 left in the half. Mehta scored the Bears' first 10 points of the frame, bringing the score to 31-24 at the 2:51 mark. Gaziano netted the team's last five points of the half as the hosts trailed 40-29 at the break.

In the third quarter, Will and Butler both hit early jump shots, but the Minutewomen used a 16-4 run to pull ahead 53-33 with 5:26 left in the stanza. The Bears responded with nine unanswered points, pulling within 53-42 at the 3:11 mark. Four different Bears scored during the run, including a 3-pointer from Will. Brown remained within 55-44 before UMass closed the period on a 12-3 run, taking a 67-47 advantage.

Mehta and Will both converted 3-point shots at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and another 3-pointer from Gaziano trimmed the deficit to 76-61 with 4:40 remaining. UMass then concluded the contest on a 14-0 run.

For Massachusetts, Hailey Leidel totaled 18 points and eight rebounds, and Bre Hampton-Bey compiled 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Anil Soysal (15 points) and Jessica George (12 points) rounded out the Minutewomen's double-figure scorers.

Next, Brown concludes play at the Turkey Tip-Off tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 25, against Bucknell at 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+, NESN, WPRV-AM 790). Game two on Sunday features Fairfield and Massachusetts tipping off at 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+).

Video of all Brown women's basketball home contests and all Ivy League games, home and away, will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Tickets for all Brown women's basketball games can be purchased online, by calling the Brown Athletics Ticket Office at (401) 863-2773, or by walking up to the box office located in the Pizzitola Sports Center, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.