UAlbany women's basketball snaps slide with timely runs

Gazette file photoKyara Frames scored 12 points Saturday to help UAlbany beat New Hampshire 59-47 at SEFCU Arena. — PHOTOGRAPHER:

Gazette file photo
Kyara Frames scored 12 points Saturday to help UAlbany beat New Hampshire 59-47 at SEFCU Arena.

ALBANY — The University at Albany women’s basketball team won a game for the first time in over a month Saturday, using key spurts late in the first half and early in the second to knock off New Hampshire 59-47 in an America East Conference matchup at SEFCU Arena.

UAlbany (2-3 AE, 3-6 overall) last prevailed on Dec. 19 at UMBC 66-56, and had lost four straight before beating the Wildcats (4-8, 4-10) behind Kyara Frames’ 12 points in her 100th career appearance with the Great Danes, Helene Haegerstrand’s 10 points and five assists and Ellen Hahne’s eight points and 10 rebounds.

“This was a terrific team win,” UAlbany coach Colleen Mullen said after her Great Danes defeated her alma mater. “I am really proud of our effort today. We had a really great week of practice.”

The win included 17 assists on 23 made field goals, 17 second-chance points, and only 11 turnovers.

“New Hampshire is a tough team to prepare for because they do so many things and they play so hard, and we knew we would have to handle their changing defenses and handle their pressure,” Mullen said. “I can’t say enough about our balanced attack and our confidence tonight. We played unselfishly today, and I think we took good shots.”

New Hampshire led 22-21 in the second quarter before UAlbany responded with a 9-2 run to finish off the half. UAlbany took its first double-digit lead early in the third quarter with a 7-0 run, and led by as many as 14 in the fourth.

UAlbany will look to secure its first two-game win streak this season when it hosts New Hampshire Sunday at 2 p.m.

“We’ll look to play some better post defense tomorrow, but we were able to keep New Hampshire off balance with our pressure,” Mullen said.