Landers leads Seawolves with 11 points
Box Score
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Leading by as many as 21 in the second half, Stony Brook University's women's basketball team saw its lead dwindle to as few as six, but held off the late rally by Albany for a 46-37 victory on Tuesday night in Pritchard Gymnasium. Freshman Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) led the way for Stony Brook with 11 points. The Seawolves' second-straight win puts them at 5-13 (3-3 America East) on the year while Albany drops to 7-10 (0-4).
"This might be the ugliest game I've ever been apart of, but the fact that we won makes it a little prettier," said head coach Michele Cherry. "Give Albany credit as they never quit and fought their way back into the game. We are fortunate to have won tonight."
Leading by 21 with 10:09 remaining in the second half, Stony Brook went scoreless for the next 9:15 while Albany scored 15 to move within six. A lefty layup from Landers with 53 seconds remaining broke the scoreless streak for the Seawolves and helped SBU hold on for the victory.
The game opened with the two teams trading baskets, until Albany eventually opened its largest lead of the game at 15-12 on a layup by Cassandra Callaway with 11:24 remaining. The Great Danes' lead would not last long however as the Seawolves moved back on top two minutes later when a no-look pass from junior Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) found Landers under the basket for an uncontested layup. Callaway's basket would end up being Albany's final field goal of the half as SBU's defensive pressure forced Albany into 17 turnovers and a 0-15 shooting performance for the remainder of the period.
During Albany's offensive struggles, senior Crystal Rushin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) was a spark for the Seawolves off the bench. She scored all seven of her first half points in under two minutes, capped by a three-point play with 3:19 remaining which increased the Seawolves' lead to 12 at 27-15.
Stony Brook continued to put the clamps on Albany defensively in the second half, holding them without a point until the 15:39 mark. SBU would bounce back quickly though as Landers knocked down a corner three and then converted a fastbreak layup to make it 35-19.
Three field goals later, the Seawolves' lead would be at 21 and Albany would begin its comeback. Julie Forster scored eight of her game-high 14 points for Albany in the final ten minutes of the game. She added 12 rebounds and four blocks to earn the America East Player of the Game honors for the Great Danes. Landers' 4-for-8 shooting and key layup earned her Player of the Game for Stony Brook.
SBU does not play again until Sunday when it travels to Burlington to take on preseason favorite Vermont. Tip is set for 1:00 p.m.
Box Score
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Leading by as many as 21 in the second half, Stony Brook University's women's basketball team saw its lead dwindle to as few as six, but held off the late rally by Albany for a 46-37 victory on Tuesday night in Pritchard Gymnasium. Freshman Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) led the way for Stony Brook with 11 points. The Seawolves' second-straight win puts them at 5-13 (3-3 America East) on the year while Albany drops to 7-10 (0-4).
"This might be the ugliest game I've ever been apart of, but the fact that we won makes it a little prettier," said head coach Michele Cherry. "Give Albany credit as they never quit and fought their way back into the game. We are fortunate to have won tonight."
Leading by 21 with 10:09 remaining in the second half, Stony Brook went scoreless for the next 9:15 while Albany scored 15 to move within six. A lefty layup from Landers with 53 seconds remaining broke the scoreless streak for the Seawolves and helped SBU hold on for the victory.
The game opened with the two teams trading baskets, until Albany eventually opened its largest lead of the game at 15-12 on a layup by Cassandra Callaway with 11:24 remaining. The Great Danes' lead would not last long however as the Seawolves moved back on top two minutes later when a no-look pass from junior Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) found Landers under the basket for an uncontested layup. Callaway's basket would end up being Albany's final field goal of the half as SBU's defensive pressure forced Albany into 17 turnovers and a 0-15 shooting performance for the remainder of the period.
During Albany's offensive struggles, senior Crystal Rushin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) was a spark for the Seawolves off the bench. She scored all seven of her first half points in under two minutes, capped by a three-point play with 3:19 remaining which increased the Seawolves' lead to 12 at 27-15.
Stony Brook continued to put the clamps on Albany defensively in the second half, holding them without a point until the 15:39 mark. SBU would bounce back quickly though as Landers knocked down a corner three and then converted a fastbreak layup to make it 35-19.
Three field goals later, the Seawolves' lead would be at 21 and Albany would begin its comeback. Julie Forster scored eight of her game-high 14 points for Albany in the final ten minutes of the game. She added 12 rebounds and four blocks to earn the America East Player of the Game honors for the Great Danes. Landers' 4-for-8 shooting and key layup earned her Player of the Game for Stony Brook.
SBU does not play again until Sunday when it travels to Burlington to take on preseason favorite Vermont. Tip is set for 1:00 p.m.
