Jasmine Williams Nets Career High 34 Points and Posts Fifth Double-Double in Women's Basketball Loss to UMass-Lowell
LOWELL, Mass. (Jan. 16, 2012) – Senior forward Jasmine Williams (Stratford, Conn.) drained a career-high 34 points and added 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year but it was not enough as the Mercy College women's basketball team fell to UMass-Lowell, 96-73 on Monday.
UMass-Lowell improves to 6-10 on the season with the win, while Mercy drops to 1-13.
The teams traded baskets in the opening minutes but Mercy held the edge, leading by four on two occasions, but with the Mavericks up one with 9:30 remaining in the half the River Hawks soared to a commanding lead on a 13-2 run that started with three Sha'nay Bushner (Akron, Ohio) layups within a minute and stretched it out as the half wound down, going into the break up 17. Mercy was unable to cut the deficit to fewer than 16 in the second half and ultimately lost by 23.
Jasmine Williams led the Mavericks in scoring and rebounding despite contending with the River Hawks' imposing frontcourt that includes seven six-footers, including three players standing six feet three inches tall.
Junior forward MarQuesha Moore (Bryans Road, Md.) also scored in double-digits with 11 points and senior forward Talia Beaulieu (Waldorf, Md.) added eight points and 11 rebounds. Senior point guard Simone Williams (Waldorf, Md.), who is ranked in the top ten in Division II in assists, paced the team with seven assists and five steals while junior wing Aysha Williams (New Rochelle, N.Y.) added five assists as well.
Junior guard Bianca Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) led the River Hawks with 24 points as all five starters scored in double-digits and added seven rebounds and nine assists to fall shy of a triple-double. Bushner and junior forward Brianna Wilson (Lowell, Mass.) tied for the team lead with nine rebounds each, with Wilson making a team-high five steals and three blocks.
Head Coach Kelli Dunlay and the Mavericks (1-13 overall, 1-4 in the ECC) will return to East Coast Conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 18 as they travel to Washington, D.C. to take on the University of the District of Columbia (12-3, 3-2) at 5:30 p.m.
