After four games at the Events Center at Binghamton University on Saturday, the America East Women’s Basketball Championship semifinals are set. The top-two seeds advanced to the semifinals for the eighth-straight season in No. 1 Maine and No. 2 Albany, while No. 5 Hartford and No. 6 UMBC each pulled upsets.
No. 1 Maine will face No. 5 Hartford in the first semifinal at 2 p.m. Sunday, while No. 2 Albany will face No. 6 UMBC 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game.
No. 1 Maine 78, No. 8 Binghamton 71
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- The Black Bears outscored the Bearcats, 36-16, in the paint to reach the America East semifinals for the first time since 2004.
- The eighth-seeded Bearcats hung in the game by hitting 10 3-pointers, including six from America East Rookie of the Year, Jasmine Sina, who finished with 19 points on the day.
- Sina’s six 3-pointers are tied for the fifth-most in an America East tournament game. It was the most in a tournament contest since Boston U.’s Alex Young hit seven in 2011.
- Liz Wood led the way for the Black Bears, going for 19 points and 11 rebounds along with five assists. Bella Swan had a career-high 15 points in the contest while Mikaela Gustaffson notched 17 as four Black Bears finished in double figures.
- Binghamton never led, but trailed by just two points at the 12:48 mark in the second half before a 14-3 Maine run gave the Black Bears a 13-point lead.
- With the win, Maine moves No. 1 seeds to 18-1 vs. the No. 8 seed. The top-seed has also advanced to the semifinals in 10-straight years and 22 of 24 seasons since the tournament expanded beyond six teams.
No. 5 Hartford 58, No. 4 New Hampshire 42
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- Hartford used a decisive, 20-3, second-half run to get past New Hampshire and advance to the semifinals for the tenth time in the last 11 years and 15th time in program history.
- Amber Bepko went for a game-high 18 points to pace a Hartford attack that shot 44 percent in the second half.
- The Hawks’ defense held New Hampshire to 24.6 percent shooting in the contest, tied for the fourth lowest field goal percentage in a tournament game.
- Elizabeth Belanger paced New Hampshire with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
- Hartford head coach Jennifer Rizzotti added to her America East tournament-wins record with the 25th of her career.
- It is the fourth-straight season the No. 5 seed has upset the No. 4 seed with Hartford also accomplishing the feat last season.
No. 2 Albany 63, No. 7 Vermont 33
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- Albany turned in a historic defensive performance, holding Vermont to the third fewest points in an America East tournament game in a, 63-33, victory over the Catamounts.
- The Great Danes advance to their fourth-straight semifinal and have won nine-straight tournament games.
- America East Player of the Year, Shereesha Richards, scored 18 of her 20 points in the first half and pulled down 14 boards. The junior had a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds) in the first half. Imani Tate had a game-high 21 for the Great Danes.
- The 33 points allowed were the fewest since Hartford held Vermont to 33 in the 2013 tournament. The Great Danes also kept the Catamounts to 12 field goals, which is tied for the third-fewest made in a tournament game.
- Kylie Butler led Vermont with nine points.
- The No. 2 seed in the tournament has advanced to eight-straight semifinals and is 11-3 all-time vs. the No. 7 seed. Since 1995, No. 2 seeds are 18-3 in quarterfinal games.
No. 6 UMBC 49, No. 3 Stony Brook 47
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- Taylor McCarley hit a runner with 3.2 seconds left to lift No. 6 UMBC to a, 49-47, upset win over No. 3 Stony Brook.
- The Retrievers are the third six-seed to upset the No. 3 seed in the quarterfinals in the last four years and eighth all-time to advance to the semifinals.
- The Retrievers improved to 7-10 in tournament play and will make their fourth semifinal appearance. The last trip for UMBC came in 2012 when the team eventually advanced to the title game where it lost to Albany.
- Capree Garner led the Retrievers with 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting.
- Stony Brook’s Kori Bayne-Walker led all scorers with 21 points to go with six rebounds.