NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.- Western Michigan (0-4) fell in the first game of the Iona Thanksgiving Classic, 81-69, to UMBC (3-2) Saturday afternoon. Tiera DeLaHoussaye led WMU with 15 points and five rebounds. Freshman Miame Giden recorded the first double-double of her career with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Shooting woes continued to plague Western Michigan, who shot just 26-for-63 from the floor. The Broncos did a better job on the glass, controlling the boards for the first time in four games this season. WMU outrebounded the Retrievers, 41-29.
Western Michigan led by four with 1:16 remaining in the first half, but UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County) put together a 7-0 run to close out the period, taking a 36-33 advantage in the locker room. The Retrievers shot 52 percent from the field and knocked down four first-half three-pointers.
WMU briefly tied the game to start the second period, but UMBC opened a 10-point advantage over the next 10 minutes. The Broncos wouldn’t get closer than five points the rest of the afternoon.
Four different players scored in double digits for UMBC, who shot 49 percent from the field for the game. Averaging over 24 points a game entering the contest, the Retrievers’ Carlee Cassidy was held scoreless in the first half but dumped in 21 points in the second. Katie Brooks led all scorers for the game, scoring 23 off the bench, and Michelle Kurwoski added 14.
Sophomore Maria Iaquaniello made her first start for Western Michigan and grabbed a career-high six rebounds. Redshirt junior Michelle DeNooyer saw her first action of the season, entering the game in the first half. Ebony Cleary scored 12 points and had five rebounds.
Western Michigan takes on host Iona tomorrow at the Thanksgiving Classic at 3:30 p.m. Iona plays UMES in the second game of the classic today before facing the Broncos.
Courtesy: Zolton Cohen
