March 13, 2003

Box Score

HARTFORD, Conn. - Junior center Maren Matthias, a first-team all-conference player, tallied game-highs of 23 points and 12 rebounds, as #4 seed New Hampshire (13-15) defeated #5 seed Stony Brook (9-19), 70-57, in the last quarterfinal game of the Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship.

The Wildcats, who led for nearly the entire game, maintained a double-digit lead for the final 23 minutes of the contest and stretched the margin to as many as 22 points in the opening minutes of the second half. New Hampshire connected on 49% of its shots from the field, drained eight three-pointers, and outrebounded the Seawolves 41-33 in advancing to the semifinals for the second straight season.

Matthias led four Wildcats in double figures. Sophomore guard Lindsay Adams had 19 points and eight rebounds, senior guard Colleen Mullen had 11 points and seven assists, and sophomore forward Geneva Livingston added 10 points and six assists.

Sophomore guard Danyelle Ingram led Stony Brook with 18 points and junior forward Sherry Jordan produced a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

New Hampshire jumped out to a 20-9 lead behind four 3-pointers in the first eight minutes of the game. Adams drained two of those three-pointers and scored eight of her 13 first-half points during the run. Stony Brook closed to within six points, but after two starters left the game with foul trouble, the Wildcats ended the half on a 12-3 run for a 36-20 halftime advantage.

The Wildcats will play in the first semifinal on Friday, taking on #1 seed University of Maine at 6:06 p.m on the America East TV network. The second semifinal, due to begin at 8:36 p.m., will feature #2 seed University of Vermont against #3 seed Boston University. It is the first time since 2000 that the top four seeds have all advanced to the semifinals.