BOSTON, MA (January 29, 2025) – Sophomore forward Sabanna Berrios (Providence, R.I.) recorded her fourth consecutive double-double, scoring 17 points and pulling down a career-high 15 rebounds in UMass Boston's (8-11, 5-4 Little East Conference) thrilling second-half comeback over the Western Connecticut State Wolves (5-13, 3-6 LEC) at the Clark Gymnasium.
Junior guard Tatiannah Fevry (Dracut, Mass.) contributed 11 points and matched her career-high with five steals, while sophomore Vanessa Bucha (Aschnuet, Mass.) went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line and added a three-pointer to finish with nine points and two steals.
Gallery: WBB vs WestConn
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How It Happened:
First Quarter:
- The Beacons started strong, with junior captain Sibayla Jensen (Portland, Ore.) assisting Berrios for the game's first bucket, followed by Jensen's own layup. However, the Wolves answered with a 9-0 run. Sophomore Hialeah Turner-Foster (Mashpee, Mass.) ended the run with a fastbreak layup off another Jensen assist. Berrios closed the quarter with a free throw, leaving UMass Boston trailing 15-7.
Second Quarter:
- The Beacons and Wolves remained scoreless for the first two minutes of the second quarter. Bucha scored a layup to reduce the deficit to five, but the Wolves finished the half strong, leading by 13 points.
Third Quarter:
- Fevry and Berrios sparked the Beacons with back-to-back layups. First-year Tajeiha Madison (Brockton, Mass.) drained a three-pointer to pull UMass Boston within 10. With 4:40 left, Bucha hit another three to fuel an 11-2 run, tying the game at 45 by the end of the quarter. During the run, first-year Ashleigh Lagor (Millbury, Mass.) added a three, while Turner-Foster and Bucha were perfect from the line (4-for-4). Jensen's steal and layup tied the game.
Fourth Quarter:
- UMass Boston came out of the break with unmatched intensity, scoring 13 unanswered points. Fevry's steal led to Madison's offensive tip-in, and Madison's jumper later pushed the lead to 13 points, the largest of the game. The Wolves responded with a three-pointer, but the Beacons finished strong, closing the game with a 7-3 run to complete the second-half comeback.
By the Box:
- The Beacons shot 16-for-38 from the field, outscoring the Wolves 46-17 in the second half—their most points in a half since a 95-54 win over Fitchburg State.
- Berrios led all scorers with 17 points and 15 rebounds, adding two steals and one block. This was her fourth consecutive double-double, and her seventh in the last eight games with at least 14 points and 11 rebounds.
- Fevry recorded her second game with at least nine points and five steals. She currently ranks second in the LEC with 46 steals, just three behind the conference leader.
- Jensen was all over the stat sheet, contributing six points, nine rebounds, and a season-high seven assists—the highest single-game total for any Beacon this season—as the primary playmaker in the critical win.
- UMass Boston outperformed the Wolves in several key areas, including second-chance points (8-4), points off turnovers (25-13), fastbreak points (13-3), and points in the paint (34-16).
With the win, the Beacons improve to 5-5 in the LEC and sit in fifth place, just one game behind fourth-seeded Eastern Connecticut State (7-12, 6-4 LEC). UMass Boston will return to action on Saturday, February 1, against Rhode Island College in Providence, R.I., at 1:00 p.m.
For all things UMass Boston Athletics, stay tuned to the UMass Boston Official Athletics Website.
--FOR THE TIMES--
