BOSTON, MA. (February 15, 2025) – The UMass Boston women's basketball team (9-15, 6-9 Little East Conference) held the Plymouth State Panthers (4-18, 1-13 LEC) to 38 points, the second-lowest opponent game-total of the season, as the Beacons outshined the Panthers in a 57-38 victory in the second to last home game remaining in the 2024-25 LEC Regular Season.
Sabanna Berrios (Providence, R.I.) led the team in scoring for the 12^th time in 2024-25, with 18 points and five rebounds to lead eight UMass Boston scorers in the win.

The Beacons celebrated the matchup as a recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day with a first-ever all-female broadcast following a youth clinic hosted by UMass Boston coaches and student-athletes. The full story will follow at a later date.

How it Happened:

First Quarter:

• Berrios opened the game off the dish from Samora Merchant (Brookfield, Conn.) with a strong finish inside for the game's first basket.
• Junior Tatiannah Fevry (Dracut, Mass.) led the scoring efforts in the early goings with six of the Beacons' 11 first-quarter points.
• Heading into the second, the Beacons faced a palpable two-point deficit (11-13).

Second Quarter:

• Berrios scored her third field goal of the game to open the second quarter, cutting the deficit to just one (13-14).
• Vanessa Bucha's (Aschnuet, Mass.) steal led to Merchant's first basket of the game inside the paint to knot the scoring level.
• Sophomore Jordis Tautalatasi (Springfield, Mass.) finished the fastbreak for her first basket, giving the Beacons their first lead of the game. Berrios extended the gap to four points off another fastbreak dish from Tautalatasi.
• The Panthers struck one final time in the second quarter to level the game at 23 apeice heading into the halftime break.
• The Beacons outscored the Panthers 12-10 in the second quarter.

Third Quarter:

• UMass Boston scored the first seven points in the third quarter unanswered, initiated off Merchant's good free throw, and finished a layup in the paint.
• The Panthers showed signs of life, coming within three points of the lead off an 8-2 run over the ensuing three minutes. First-year Ashleigh Lagor (Millbury, Mass.) kept the Panthers at bay with back-to-back baskets to remain in front by three points.
• Berrios followed suit, scoring on back-to-back possessions to remain in front by five points.
• Sibayla Jensen's free throw to close out the quarter kept the Beacons in front by four points heading into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter:

• The Beacs held the Panthers to a goose egg in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 18-0 in the final ten minutes through impeccable defense.
• First-year guard Tajeiha Madison's jumper in the paint was the first of seven fourth-quarter baskets for the Beacons.
• Jensen increased the lead to 10 points at the free throw line with just under five minutes remaining.
• Tautalatasi ended the run with an and-one layup with 34 seconds remaining, giving UMass Boston a gritty 57-38 statement home victory with one game remaining in the LEC Regular Season.

By the Box:

• Berrios led all scorers with 18 points on 9-16 shooting, to couple with five rebounds and one block.
• Merchant was one point and rebound shy of a double-double, with nine points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a monstrous four blocks.
• Fevry added seven points, six rebounds, and two steals.
• Lagor, Madison, and Tautalatasi combined for 16 of the Beacons' 19 bench points in a positive showing for the bench unit.
• Sophomore Hialeah Turner-Foster (Mashpee, Mass.), Jensen, and Tautalatasi each moved the ball well, as the trio tied for a team-high three assists.
• UMass Boston outscored the Panthers in points off turnovers (20-13), second chance points (7-4), fastbreak points (9-4), and points in the paint (16-40).

The Beacons will play their final LEC regular season game on their home court, next Wednesday, February 19, at 5:00 p.m. against the Vermont State Castleton Spartans, as the Beacons celebrate their 'Think Pink' game before heading into the LEC postseason.