Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Senior Beth Suggs (Bath, Maine) and sophomore Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) each registered double-doubles to power the University of New England women's basketball team to a 66-57 Commonwealth Coast Conference win over Endicott College Tuesday (Feb. 12) evening at the Harold Alfond Forum.

With the win, the Nor'easters extend their school-record win streak to 14 games, while remaining unbeaten in conference play at 16-0 (19-4 overall). Endicott dropped its fifth contest in the last seven to fall to 13-10 overall, 9-7 in the CCC.

Suggs scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds (six on the offensive end) for her 14th double-double of the year, and Coleman totaled 10 points, 11 caroms for her seventh.

UNE also received 10 points apiece from first-year guards Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) and Sadie DiPierro (South Portland, Maine). Hayden added four of Big Blue's 15 steals.

Endicott junior Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) led all scorers with 18 points. Sophomore Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.) added 13 to go with seven rebounds, and junior Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.) netted 10 points, grabbed seven caroms, handed out six assists and added a pair of blocked shots.

With UNE holding a slim 27-26 lead at the break, the contest would remain close the rest of the way. After a layup by Whall gave Endicott a 34-31 cushion with 15:33 remaining, the Nor'easters tallied seven consecutive points to grab the lead for good. Suggs and DiPierro had back-to-back conversions in the paint, then first-year Alanna Vose (Cushing, Maine) followed with a fastbreak trey to forge a 38-34 Big Blue advantage with 13:43 on the clock.

The team would trade baskets over the ensuing eight minutes. With UNE leading by four (52-48) and just under six minutes on the clock, the Nor'easters scored the next seven points to put the game away. A free throw by Hayden was followed by a layup and a pair of freebies by Suggs pushed Big Blue's bulge to nine (57-48) with 3:28 remaining.

Endicott failed to get any closer than seven the rest of the way.

The first half featured two ties and seven lead changes. Each team struggled taking care of the basketball in the opening frame, combining for 24 turnovers.

For the game, UNE overcame 22 miscues and 56.7 percent (17 of 30) shooting from the free throw line by holding a 46-33 advantage on the glass. The Nor'easters' 17 offensive boards led to 12 second-chance points and contributed to 30 points in the paint.

Endicott returns home Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. contest with Curry College.

The Nor'easters will be looking for their fifth straight 20-win season Thursday when they travel to Nichols College for a 5:30 p.m. start.


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