Dec. 4, 2010
Final Stats
ALBANY, N.Y. - With Capital Region bragging rights on the line, both Siena and UAlbany engaged in a high-energy, high-excitement battle that went down to the very end. But clutch shooting in the closing minutes by the Great Danes proved to be the difference as UAlbany took the Albany Cup 63-59 this evening at Times Union Center.
"I thought we played a really good game and thought our team played very hard," commented head coach Gina Castelli. "It was just a few things at the end of the game that really hurt us."
UAlbany (6-1) made five of its final six shots which included a trio of game-changing three pointers that turned a seven point Siena (1-4) lead at 55-48 with 4:27 remaining into a heartbreaking defeat. The Great Danes, which entered the game shooting just 22.6% from beyond the arc this season, finished 6-for-14 (42.9%) from distance.
The Saints came out firing on all cylinders, scoring the first eight points and led for the entirety of the first half. Siena led by as many as 11 points, but key shooting by UAlbany at the tail end of the first half made it just a 31-28 advantage for the Saints heading into the lockerrom. The Great Danes closed out the first half much like they would the game, making five of their final eight shots going into intermission.
Siena would lead by as many as seven points on three different occasions in the second half, but could not put away UAlbany in what proved to be an exciting final 20 minutes in which the teams played to three ties and five lead changes.
Serena Moore led Siena with 17 points and 11 rebounds for her ninth career double-double while Cathy Cockrum added a career-high 14 points. Siena's senior class shined as the third member of the Saints' class Missy Ramsey also scored a career-best eight points in her first career start.
Felicia Johnson and Ebone Henry led UAlbany with 16 points apiece while Julie Forster added 14 points and 11 rebounds and Cassandra Callaway contributed 13 as the Great Danes captured the Albany Cup for just the second time in eight meetings since the rivalry between the two teams was rekindled in 2001.
The Saints return to the hardwood Tuesday when they take the court for their first road game of the season. Siena will travel to Binghamton for a 7 p.m. tip against the Bearcats.
