March 8, 2008

Box Score

BOSTON - The Boston University women's basketball team held Albany scoreless in overtime as it defeated the Great Danes, 76-67, on Saturday at Case Gym to clinch the third seed in the America East tournament. Senior Kasey Devine and junior Amarachi Umez-Eronini posted double-doubles, while senior Cheri Raffo recorded a team-high 15 points. Five Terriers reached double figures, as they improve to 18-11 overall and 11-5 in the America East conference. Albany falls to 12-17 overall, 10-6 in the league and enters the tourney as the fourth-seeded team.

Devine earned America East's Player of the Game honors after posting 11 points and 10 rebounds with five blocks and three steals, while Umez-Eronini contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds. Raffo was 5-for-14 and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line as she led with 15 points. Junior Christine Kinneary added 11 points to go along with a game-high seven assists, while sophomore Aly Hinton was the fifth Terrier in double figures with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds. The win marked head coach Kelly Greenberg's 150th victory as a head coach.

BU out-rebounded UA, 43-38, and held a commanding 21-6 advantage on second-chance points. The Terriers also forced 20 Great Danes' miscues and converted on 18 points off turnovers. The game saw nine lead changes and 14 ties. BU finishes the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record at Case Gym, with its lone home loss coming at Agganis Arena on Nov. 17 to then-No. 16 Ohio State.

For much of the first half, the Terriers and Great Danes traded baskets remaining within three points of each other until Albany took the largest lead of the game at 1:18, after going on a 12-2 to move the score to 36-26. BU closed out the stanza with four consecutive free throws to cut the deficit to six at the break. In the first period, Albany was able to penetrate the Terriers' defense, scoring 16 in the paint. BU was led by Raffo with eight points, while Charity Iromuanya posted a team high of 11 points.

In the second half, BU quickly cut the lead to one by 17:38 and reclaimed it at 15:54 on a Kinneary jumper. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Great Danes nailed a jumper in the paint to move the score to 42-41. Over the next five minutes, BU steadily built a five-point lead with five rebounds and two steals to bring the score to 54-49 at 10:06.

BU maintained that edge until UA game roaring back to go ahead by seven with 2:13 remaining in regulation, in what proved to be its final field goal of the game. Kinneary turned the tide with a jumper at 1:55, the Terriers hit two free throws, and a clutch 3-pointer from Raffo knotted the score at 67. Hinton brought down a crucial defensive rebound with four seconds on the clock to send the game into overtime.

BU took over in the overtime period with a field goal and seven made free throws to secure the victory. In addition, it brought down 10 rebounds in the extra stanza.

The full tournament brackets will be available following the final regular-season conference game between UMBC and Hartford tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Baltimore, Md. The America East championship begins on Thursday, March 13 and will culminate with the championship game on Sunday, March 16 at 5:00 p.m.