March 12, 2008

Stony Brook, N.Y. -

America East First Round vs. Maine

No. 9 Stony Brook faces No. 8 Maine in the first round of the America East Tournament. Tonight's game will be broadcast by WUSB 90.1's Jeff Bernstein and is part of the America East PackCast. Stony Brook and Maine split the two meetings this year with each winning on its own home floor. Stony Brook is 3-8 all-time in the AE tournament

Intriguing Coaching Matchup
Besides being first year coaches in the America East, Cindy Blodgett and Michele Cherry have ties to their days in the WNBA. Blodgett played under Cherry with the Sacramento Monarchs.

Over 50 Percent From The Floor
Six players shot over 50 percent from the floor led by Jodie Plikus' 5-6 (.833) shooting.

Board Games
Six players recorded six rebounds or more led by Crystal Rushin's seven. Rushin also scored a career-high 10 rebounds.

Defensive Minded
Game 29 was Stony Brook's best defensive game of the season. The Seawolves forced New Hampshire into 24 turnovers and held UNH to just 2-19 from the floor in the first half. New Hampshire finished the game shooting 15 percent from the floor and 12 percent from behind the arc.

Seawolves Rout New Hampshire, 77-37
Senior Aly Young (Lodi, Calif.) and freshman Jodie Plikus (Waterford, Conn.) led five Stony Brook scorers in double figurers with 13 points as the Seawolves held New Hampshire to two field goals in the first half en route to a 77-37 victory over the Wildcats at the Stony Brook Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The Seawolves stretched their first-half lead to 20 with 6:58 left in the half after Plikus hit her 25th three-pointer of the season. Following a missed three from Amy Simpson, freshman Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) held the ball for the final seconds of the half and dished to sophomore Crystal Rushin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) for a jumper as Stony Brook took a 41-18 lead into the locker room.

After Simpson knocked in a three from the top of the key to cut the Stony Brook lead to 50-27 with 14:05 left in the game, the Wildcats' shooting woes continued as they missed on nine straight shots before Jill McDonald connected on a jumper in the paint. During that time, Stony Brook opened up a 30-pt lead.

Stony Brook stretched the lead to 71-31 with 3:34 left in the game after a jumper from sophomore Joia Daniels (Silver Spring, Md.). New Hampshire missed 16 of 17 shots to end the game.

As a team, Stony Brook shot 11 of 21 in the second half including a perfect 3 of 3 from behind the arc.

The 77 points were a team-high for the Seawolves and the 37 from New Hampshire were the fewest Stony Brook has allowed this season.

Along with Young and Plikus' 13 points, Horsey, Rushin and freshman Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) all had 10 points. Young was Stony Brook's America East player of the game. Four players had at least six rebounds for Stony Brook led by Rushin's seven.