For the third consecutive year, the top-four seeds in the Hercules Tires America East Women’s Basketball Playoffs are headed to the semifinals. No. 3 UMass Lowell and No. 4 UAlbany won home games in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
The River Hawks played strong defense and put four in double figures to beat NJIT and advance in the #AEPlayoffs for the second-straight year. At UAlbany, the Great Danes held off UNH’s second-half blitz to advance to the semifinals for the ninth time in ten years.
The semifinals are scheduled for Sunday, March 7 with No. 1 Maine hosting No. 4 UAlbany at 1 p.m. and No. 2 Stony Brook hosting No. 3 UMass Lowell at 3 p.m. Both games will air on ESPN+. It is just the third time in the last decade that the top-four seeds will play in the semis.
For full playoff coverage including box scores, highlights, photos and more, visit Hercules Tires #AEPlayoffs Central.
#AEPlayoffs Quarterfinals Recaps
#3 UMass Lowell 72, #6 NJIT 52
- #3 UMass Lowell (13-8) used a 19-5 run to close out #6 NJIT (4-15) and advance in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
- Four River Hawks tallied double-digit points, led by senior Tiahna Sears who had 15.
- The River Hawks led by four at the halftime break behind ten points from Second-Team All-Conference choice Kharis Idom, who finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
- The Highlanders had three of their own in double figures, led by sophomore Kenna Squier and freshman Kiana Brereton, who each had 12.
- The River Hawks led for over 30 minutes and took the lead for good just before halftime.
#4 UAlbany 49, #5 New Hampshire 43
- #4 UAlbany (7-10) had a quartet of student-athletes score at least 11 points as the Great Danes closed out #5 New Hampshire (5-15) at SEFCU Arena.
- UNH started the game with a 6-0 lead – an advantage that evaporated in nearly four minutes.
- UAlbany ended the first quarter on a 15-0 run.
- The Wildcats cut the lead to one with just over three minutes remaining in the contest, but the Great Danes answered with back-to-back threes forcing Kelsey Hogan to call timeout with under one minute left.
- All-Rookie selection Adara Groman led UNH with 13 points while also grabbing five rebounds.
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