AMHERST, Mass. -
Jasmine Alston recorded her first double-double of the season and
Siobhan Beslow hit a career-high 16 points, but the second half comeback fell just short as the La Salle women's basketball dropped a 71-68 decision to Massachusetts at the Mullins Center on Thursday night.
Alston scored 10 points and corraled 11 rebounds for the double-double, while adding five assists and six steals in a terrific all-around game. The sophomore guard made the most of her first start since Nov. 25.
Beslow went 7-for-13 from the field en route to a career-best 16 points, bettering her mark of 12 set back on Nov. 28 against LIU Brooklyn. She added seven rebounds.Â
Micahya Owens led the Explorers (10-7, 1-3 Atlantic 10) with 18 points, and
Alicia Cropper added 16 points along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The UMass (8-8, 2-2 Atlantic 10) trio of Kim Pierre-Louis, Cierra Dillard and Rashida Timbilla combined for 45 points and 32 rebounds. Pierre-Louis led all scorers with 24 points while pulling down 13 rebounds. Dillard added 13 points and two rebounds, and Timbilla crashed the boards for 17 rebounds while chipping in eight points.
The Explorers got in a hole early, shooting just 20 percent (9-45) in the first half as UMass grabbed a 35-25 halftime lead. La Salle opened the second half with a 7-0 run to get within three before the Minutewomen responded with a 7-2 run of their own.
The second half played out in that fashion. The Explorers got within one on several occasions but could not get the break they needed to tie the game or take the lead. UMass clung to a 70-68 lead with 31.6 seconds remaining, but the Explorers missed both field goal attempts. UMass rebounded the second one, forcing the Explorers to foul Dillard, who made one of two for the 71-68 score with 6.9 on the clock.
The Explorers got one more opportunity but a missed three-pointer at the buzzer gave UMass the final score.
La Salle shot much better in the second half (18-34; 52.9%) to settle for a 34.2 percent overall showing for the game. The Explorers struggled again from three, hitting just 4-for-16, and had a lot of trouble at the free throw line with a 10-21 outing.
UMass shot 48.0 percent overall, and went 22-for-30 from the charity stripe.
The Minutewomen won the battle of the boards, 50-40.
The Explorers remain on the road through Sunday to visit Rhode Island. Tipoff on Sunday at the Ryan Center is set for 2pm.
