BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Junior Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) scored a game-high 19 points to help keep the University of New England women's basketball team unbeaten in Commonwealth Coast Conference play with a 67-54 victory over Wentworth Institute of Technology Tuesday evening (Jan. 7) at the Harold Alfond Forum.
The win improves UNE's overall ledger to 8-1 while moving to 4-0 in conference play. The Leopards now stand at 3-7 overall, 0-4 in CCC action. Winners of 29 consecutive CCC regular-season contests, the Nor'easters have won 10 straight meetings with Wentworth.
Coleman, the reigning CCC Player of the Week, was 9-for-11 at the free throw line and added nine rebounds for UNE. Sophomore Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, while first-year center Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H.) added eight points, eight boards and three blocked shots.
Senior forward Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) scored 16 of her team-high 18 points after halftime to help the Leopards prevent UNE from putting the game away. She also chipped in a game-best 12 rebounds and was 9 of 12 at the free throw stripe. Senior forward Ashley Stowe (Charlestown, R.I.) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 caroms. Sophomore guard Rachel Camara (Fall River, Mass.) and rookie forward Kellie Messer (Hollis, N.H.) combined for 16 rebounds for Wentworth, which led 52-43 in that category.
The Nor'easters never trailed in the contest. With the scored tied at 5-5 in the early stages of the first frame, Big Blue scored 13 straight points to grab control. Brown and junior forward Kendra Dawless (West Greenwich, R.I.) each scored four points during the spurt.
UNE would go on to lead 33-20 at intermission, holding Wentworth to 25 percent (7 of 28) accuracy from the floor.
The Nor'easters opened the second half with a 7-2 run to grab an 18-point (40-22) cushion and appeared as if they would breeze the rest of the way, but the Leopards battled back and eventually got within seven (43-36) on a layup by Stowe with 11:52 on the clock.
UNE would drop in three consecutive buckets to reclaim momentum and led by nine or more the rest of the way.
For the game, Big Blue's defense limited Wentworth to 29 percent (18 of 62) accuracy from the floor while forcing 22 Leopard turnovers.
Each team returns to action Thursday (Jan. 9) with a conference outing. Wentworth hosts Eastern Nazarene College at 5:30 p.m. and UNE heads to Salve Regina University for a 5:30 p.m. tilt.
