BOSTON, Mass.  –  Graduate forward Meg Dixon recorded her second consecutive and third double-double of the season, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds as UMass Boston Women's Basketball fell short in their fourth quarter rally against Emerson College, dropping the contest, 73-70, on the road Tuesday night.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 70, Emerson College 73

UMass Boston (5-2)

Emerson College (2-7)

HOW IT HAPPENED

A 7-1 run to start the game for Emerson College would help put them in front early after five points to start the game from senior guard Chelsea Gibbons. Freshman guard Beeban Jikiemi-Pearson would cut the UMass Boston deficit down to four points, 13-9, in the opening quarter before the Lions ended the frame on a 6-2 run to jump in front by eight, 19-11.

After junior transfer forward Alexah Potter made it a six-point game to start the second quarter, Emerson College would respond once again with a 7-0 run to open up their first double-digit lead of the evening, a 13-point advantage, 26-13. The Lions would lead by as many as 14 points before the end of the first half and a pair of free throws from freshman guard Sibayla Jensen along with a steal and score from Jikiemi-Pearson made it a 10-point game, 39-29, heading into the break.

For much of the third quarter, the Lions would maintain a double-digit lead and go up by 12 points, 49-37, with 3:41 remaining before the Beacons looked to make a push. Sophomore Sunny Green hit a pair of layups while Dixon recorded a basket to spur a 6-0 run for UMass Boston that brought them within six points, their smallest deficit since 9:40 remaining in the second quarter. But Emerson College would punch back with a pair of shots from junior guard Ella Bushee to close out the quarter and stay up by 10 points, 53-43, into the fourth quarter.

The forward tandem of Dixon and Potter would go to work at the start of the fourth, providing the Beacons with seven consecutive points to make it a three-point game, 53-50, just over a minute into the quarter. Once again, the Lions would respond to maintain control of the contest, using an 11-3 run to go back up by double-digits, 64-53, with 5:19 left in regulation.

But the unrelenting Beacons would fight back as Dixon scored 10 points, senior guard Paige Ollivierre snapped an 0-for-19 streak, draining two threes, and senior forward Keriann Farina got into the scoring with a three of her own to make it a two-point game, 70-68, with 2:27 left in regulation.

Trailing by four with under a minute to go, Green would make it a three-point game, 73-70, drawing a foul and hitting one of two free throws with 30 seconds remaining. After a pair of missed free throws for Emerson College with seven seconds left, the Beacons would have one more chance to tie the game but Dixon's three from the right side would fall short as UMass Boston's comeback fell just short with a 73-70 loss on the road.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Meg Dixon led the team with 26 points and 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season, Dixon is averaging 18.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season
• Keriann Farina put up 17 points with four rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting
• All five starters for Emerson College recorded double-digit point totals with sophomore forward Devin Hill leading the way with 19 points
• UMass Boston went 11-for-19 from the free throw line in the game

WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston kicks off Little East Conference play this Saturday afternoon against Eastern Connecticut State University at home inside the Clark Athletic Center with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 PM.