New York, N.Y. (November 22, 2024) – The Beacons' women's basketball team exploded for 84 points in the first win of the season against the Saint Elizabeth University Eagles in round one of the Hunter College Tip-off Tournament. Junior captain
Sibayla Jensen (Portland, Ore.) made nine of 10 shots for a career-high 26 points in the effort.
The Basics:
UMass Boston 84 – 55 Saint Elizabeth College
UMass Boston (1-3)
Saint Elizabeth (2-3)
How it Happened:
- Sophomore forward Sabanna Berrios (Providence, R.I) got the ball rolling for the Beacons, opening the scoring with a quick finish in the paint off the dish from Jensen. Together, Jensen and sophomore forward Samora Merchant (Brookfield, Conn.) shouldered the offensive load in the first quarter, combining for 15 of the Beacons' 21 first-quarter points.
- Junior guard Tatiannah Fevry (Dracut, Mass.) and sophomore forward Mia Molinari (Millis, Mass.) ignited the offense in the second quarter by driving layups and successful free throws. Sophomore guard Hialeah Turner-Foster (Mashpee, Mass.) was also able to earn her money's worth at the free throw line in the second quarter, connecting on three of four free-throws, a layup, and a jumper to spring out to seven points in the second quarter. Merchant continued to dominate the glass, earning extra possessions for the Beacons to keep them within striking distance. The Beacons entered the halftime break up 42-33.
- Jensen once again kickstarted the offense out of the halftime gates with a layup in the paint. Turner-foster continued to join in on the fun with Jensen and Merchant, as her free throws to close out the third quarter brought the Beacons up 22 points entering the final quarter. The Beacons' defense was stifling any offensive opportunities the Eagles sought after.
- First-year guard Ava DiBurro (Merrimac, Mass.) closed out the final moments in the fourth quarter with a layup to ground the Eagles in a 29-point statement victory.
By the Numbers:
- Before outlining the total team effort on the offensive end, on the defensive end, the Beacons had three blocks, 10 steals, forced 26 turnovers, and held the Eagles to an abysmal 29.4% from the field and 25% from three-point range. Jensen's offensive masterclass was the best of her career so far, shooting 9-10 from the field, 100% from downtown, and 7-9 from the charity stripe. She also dominated on the glass, adding nine rebounds. Merchant continued to step into her role as the glass-cleaning finisher, contributing 17 points on 7-10 shooting with five free throws (5-6), to go with a career-high 15 rebounds, five of which were offensive and 10 defensive. Merchant had a dominant performance on both ends, adding two of the three UMass Boston blocks and three of the 10 Beacons' steals. Fevry also marked a new offensive career-high with 16 points on 4-6 shooting with 8-11 free throws. Turner-Foster also joined the offensive outing, contributing 11 points, a new career-high, on 3-9 shooting and 5-6 from the free-throw line.
Coaches Corner
"I'm so proud of our effort as a group. From top to bottom, everybody contributed to the game. Sibayla and Samora were outstanding… They both showed tremendous growth, and I'm looking forward to them and the group continuing to grow."
Who's Next:
- The Beacons are Championship bound at the Hunter Tip-Off Tournament for tomorrow, Saturday, November 23, at 3:00 p.m. against the Hunter College Hawks, following the Hawks' 87-42 blowout win over Vermont State University Lyndon.
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