Box Score NEWTON, Mass.—Freshman Grace Geary (Falmouth, Mass.) poured in a career-high 24 points, to lead UMass Boston women's basketball (3-2) to a blowout 76-45 win over host Mount Ida College (2-5) Tuesday evening at the Mount Ida College Athletic Center.
Geary sank four of the Beacons' season-high 10 made 3-pointers to help the Beacons back above .500 for the second time this season. On the day, she hit 7-of-13 total shots and 4-of-8 three pointers and chipped in with a team-high five assists.
As a team, the Beacons knocked down 10-of-19 3-pointers for a season-high 52.6 percent. The huge shooting day came after the Beacons had opened the season hitting just five 3-pointers per game at a 27.7 percent clip.
Sophomore guard Mallory Nelson (Topsham, Maine) added 16 points, including nine in the first half to help the Beacons break away from the Mustangs. After Mount Ida kept the Beacons close over the opening 12 minutes (18-12), UMass Boston outscored the Mustangs 58-33 the rest of the way en route to their third road win in five tries to start the season.
Forwards Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) and Katrina Edwards each pulled down 10 rebounds, with Murphy just missing out on a double-double with nine points on 4-of-11 shooting.
Katlyn Jesse led the hosts with 10 points, while center Angelique Martinez finished with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
UMass Boston hit a season-high 44.3 percent (27-of-61) of their field goal attempts, to go along with their 52.6 percent clip from behind the arc. Mount Ida hit just 27.1 percent (16-of-59) of their field-goal attempts and 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) of their 3-pointers.
The Beacons also dominated every other statistical category, including holding a 50-34 rebounding advantage and a 39-8 edge in bench points.
After getting out to a 7-0 lead, the Beacons found themselves in a tight contest at the midway point of the first half. Imani Bumpus hit a pair of free throws for the Mustangs at 9:13 to cut the Beacons' lead to 14-12, but UMass Boston responded back with an 18-4 run. Sophomore point guard Taje Burston (Springfield, Mass.) hit a pair of 3-pointers during the run to help UMass Boston open a 32-16 lead with 2:53 to play in the half.
UMass Boston would carry over the momentum to the second half, as the Beacons put the game away with a 10-0 run midway through the second half. With the Beacons leading by 19 with 11:19 to play, Brittany Moore (Billerica, Mass.) and Nelson hit back-to-back layups, before Geary and fellow freshman Jamie Ballou (Foxboro, Mass.) drained 3-pointers to push the lead to 60-33.
The Beacons will finish off their six-game, season-opening road trip Saturday when they travel to Keene State College for their Little East Conference opener at 1 p.m.
