FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: January 14, 2006

CONTACT: Alan Wickstrom (617) 287- 7815                                                                       

 TUCKER LEADS UMASS BOSTON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OVER RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE, 78-72

BOSTON, MA – Sophomore guard LaKeisha D. Tucker (Pawtucket, RI) netted 15 of her game-high 21 points in the second half in addition to her 12 rebounds for the game to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston women’s basketball team over visiting Rhode Island College, 78-72, in a Little East Conference game today at the Clark Athletic Center on the UMass Boston campus.  The Beacons improve to 8-5 on the season and 2-3 in the LEC, while the Anchorwomen fall to 7-7 and 0-5.

Rhode Island College owned a 29-24 lead with 2:20 left in the first half, but UMass Boston closed out the half with 12 straight points, capped by a pair of Tucker three-pointers, and never looked back as it took a 36-29 advantage into the intermission.

The Anchorwomen cut the deficit to 36-33 with 18:32 showing in the second stanza, but the Beacons went on a 23-12 spurt to build a 59-45 advantage with 9:44 to go in the second half as Tucker netted eight during the stretch. 

UMass Boston maintained a 63-49 lead with 6:45 to play in the second half, but Rhode Island College wouldn’t quit, going on a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to 65-58 with 2:34 showing in the game.  The Anchorwomen closed to within four points with 28 seconds left in the contest, but it would be as close as they would get. 

No more than five points separated the teams throughout the first half prior to UMB’s run to close out the opening half.

Tucker also dished for two assists on the afternoon.  Junior point guard Lydia Coverdale (Malden, MA) and freshman forward Leanne Meninger (Everett, MA) provided the only scoring for UMass Boston through the first 17 minutes of action with Coveralde netting 12 and Meninger 10 as the Beacons trailed 26-22 at the time.  Coverdale finished the contest with 17 points on 6-9 from the floor, adding five assists, four rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks, while Meninger dropped in 14 points to go with six rebounds and an assist off the bench.  Freshman forward Jennifer Widener (Hyde Park, MA) also chipped in with a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards in addition to a steal and an assist.

Colleen Feeney led Rhode Island College with 20 points on 8-12 from the field, while grabbing eight rebounds, passing for an assist and making a block and Jamie Angell netted 20, as well, to go with seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot.  Kari Geisler also contributed with 11 points and eight rebounds.

UMass Boston will be in action again on Tuesday, January 17 when it travels to North Dartmouth, MA to take on Little East Conference foe University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at 5:30 p.m., while the Anchorwomen travel to Danbury, CT on January 17 to take on Western Connecticut State University at 5:30 p.m.

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