BOSTON, MA (February 19, 2025) – The UMass Boston women's basketball team (10-15, 7-9 Little East Conference) sent the Vermont State University Castleton Spartans (7-16, -11 LEC) retreating in their final LEC Regular Season game, as they scored 83 points and held the Spartans to 54 from the Clark Gymnasium.
Sophomore forward Sabanna Berrios (Providence, R.I.) led all scorers with 23 points and recorded her 10^th double-double of the season with 11 rebounds.

How It Happened

First Quarter:

• Samora Merchant (Brookfield, Conn.) and Berrios doubled up to open the scoring for UMass Boston. A quick turnaround from the Spartans claimed a one-point lead in the early minutes of the opening quarter.
• The Beacons struck back by going on a 16-6 run over the next four minutes. During the run, sophomore Vanessa Bucha (Aschnuet, Mass.) scored six points, and Ashleigh Lagor (Millbury, Mass.) scored a layup and a three pointer, with Tatiannah Fevry (Dracut, Mass.) capping off the run on a steal and score to give UMass Boston a 10-point lead (21-11).
• Tajeiha Madison (Brockton, Mass.) scored the final three points off a good free throw, and an offensive rebound off her own miss to put back the shot for an nontraditional three-point play.
• The Beacons closed out the opening quarter with 24 points.

Second Quarter:

• Fevry scored the first of seven unanswered points in the first 45 seconds of the second quarter. Back-to-back steals from Madison led to a coast-to-coast score from the first-year, and a three-pointer on the next possession.
• A steal from sophomore Hialeah Turner-Foster (Mashpee, Mass.) found Fevry in transition for the fastbreak layup, lifting the Beacons over the 20-point advantage mark. Bucha's three-pointer at 5:01, followed by a layup at 4:03 put the Beacons up 31 points.
• Jordis Tautalatasi (Springfield, Mass.) and Mia Molinari (Millis, Mass.) closed out the final baskets of the quarter for UMass Boston, each scoring inside to give the Beacs 53 heading into the halftime break, one of the highest halftime totals of the season.
• The Beacons outscored the Spartans 29-11 in the second quarter, and 24-11 in the first quarter.

Third Quarter:

• Berrios scored the first four points to open the second half, bringing her total to 13 to get the third quarter rolling.
• Another pair of consecutive baskets from Berrios put the Beacons back up by a comfortable 30 points with a minute and a half remaining in the third.
• Bucha's 13^th point of the game gave UMass Boston their largest lead of the game at 32.

Fourth Quarter:

• Berrios led four different scorers for UMass Boston in the fourth with four points off back-to-back baskets.
• The Beacs scored ten points in the final quarter and ended with 83 points, a peak they have scaled twice this season against Saint Elizabeth University (84-55), and Fitchburg State (95-54).

By the Box:

• Three UMass Boston scorers tallied double-digit figures behind Berrios' 23. Bucha scored an efficient 15 points on 7-12 from the field. Bucha paired her scoring efforts with three assists and a team-high four steals.
• Fevry contributed ten points on 5-9 shooting with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
• Seven other Beacons made contributions on the stat sheet, in one of the most well-rounded team performances of the season. The Beacs were one steal shy of their season-high with 16, led by Bucha's four, while Sibayla Jensen (Portland, Ore.) and Madison each ripped three steals. The Beacs were also one block short of their season-high, with six rejections led by Berrios and Merchant each with a pair. The Beacons also moved the ball exceptionally well in the victory with 16 assists as a unit.
• First year forward Selma Serrette (Natick, Mass.) made her collegiate debut, as she checked in for the first time this season in the fourth quarter. 
• UMass Boston outscored the Spartans in all categories, scoring a 33-15 advantage in the paint, 15-9 on second-chance points, 23-7 in bench points, 54-22 with points in the pant, and 14-6 in transition.

What's Next:

• The Beacons conclude the LEC Regular Season with a 7-9 LEC record, good for sixth in the conference which qualifies them for postseason play, the first appearance since Head Coach Heather Jacobs' arrival in 2021. Following the finish of the remaining LEC contests, the Beacons will play on the road in round one of the LEC Postseason Tournament on the road against the LEC three-seed. Details on the matchup will come after the completion of the remainder of the LEC schedule.