LOWELL, Mass. – Despite junior guard
Kendall Currence notching the game high, 19 points, on Wednesday, the Northeastern women's basketball team was unable to track down UMass Lowell during the second half as the Huskies lost their regular season opener, 69-59, at Costello Athletic Center.
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Currence tallied the opening five points of the season for Northeastern (0-1) and closed by scoring eight of the team's 12 fourth quarter points.
Ayanna Dublin registered nine points and four assists behind Currence's effort while sophomore
Mide Oriyomi paired eight points with six rebounds.
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Senior point guard
Stella Clark charted seven points, four rebounds, two assists and four steals for the Huskies.
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UMass Lowell (1-2) played to the +19 advantage in total rebounds, gaining 22 offensive boards that shuffled down to a +10 edge in second chance points. Kharis Idom and Denise Solis shared the team lead with 13 points apiece while Kaylen Banwareesingh and Jaliena Sanchez added 12 points each to the River Hawks' cause.
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Dublin's jump shot with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter ended UMass Lowell's 11-2 scoring run and helped Northeastern pull within a 16-13 deficit at the quarter break. Riding 11 unanswered points, the Huskies rushed out to the 22-16 edge early during the second quarter, though navigated four lead changes before halftime as the River Hawks carried the 34-32 lead into the intermission.
Northeastern misfired on its first nine field goal attempts of the second half yet successfully kept UMass Lowell in range.
Mossi Staples provided the coast-to-coast finish that tied the game at 42-42 with 3:16 left in the third quarter, but the Huskies were unable to mount a lead after, providing the River Hawks a narrow seven-point margin off turnovers down the stretch.
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