Women's Basketball Rallies to Top North Alabama in Season Opener
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Senior Jenny McDade (Derry, N.H.) posted career highs in points (18) and rebounds (13) as the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to post a 63-60 win over the University of North Alabama in the first round of the Disney Division II Tip Off at The Milk House Friday afternoon. The game marked the season opener for both schools. North Alabama did post a 68-67 win against Division I Alabama in an exhibition on Wednesday.
McDade, who also registered three blocks and a pair of steals, was one of three players in double figures for the Penmen. Freshman Morgan Munson (Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia) finished with 17 points on 7-13 shooting in her collegiate debut, while junior Libby Cullerot (Henniker, N.H.) had a career-best 11 points, draining a pair of three pointers. Christine Duffy (South Boston, Mass.) finished with eight points, eight assists and six rebounds.
North Alabama was led by Dana Jackson, who finished with 15 points, while Lacy Lewis added 14 points off the bench.
Southern New Hampshire trailed 36-27 at halftime and by 11 early in the second half, but used a 12-2 run to tie the game at 44 with just over 12 minutes to play following a Munson layup. The Penmen took their first lead since the games' opening moments with a basket by Cullerot with 10:29 to play, and an 11-0 run gave SNHU a 55-47 lead with 8;25 left following a Cullerot three.
North Alabama answered with nine straight points of its own to take a 56-55 lead with 5:15 left on a Jamecia York three. SNHU took the lead for good on its next possession with Duffy scored on a putback with 4:57 on the clock to make it 57-56. The Penmen would hold the Lions to just 2-12 shooting from the floor the rest of the way to seal the win.
The Penmen held a 6-3 lead four minutes into the game following a basket by Sloane Sorrell (Berwick, Maine), but UNA used a 15-2 run midway through the first half to build a 27-13 lead with just over eight minutes left before halftime. SNHU whittled the lead down to eight with 5:45 left when Duffy made 1-of-2 at the line, but the Lions scored five straight to reclaim a 13-point cushion. Erin Baldwin (Fairhaven, Mass.) would score for the Penmen 32 seconds before halftime to make it 36-27 at the break.
Southern New Hampshire owned a commanding 51-35 rebounding advantage while also limiting North Alabama to 25.7% shooting in the second half and 32.4% for the game. The Penmen, who overcame 25 turnovers, generated 12 more trips to the free throw line, going 13-19 at the stripe as opposed to UNA's 5-7 effort.
Southern New Hampshire faces Shippensburg in the second round of the Disney Division II Tip Off on Saturday at 10:00 am.
