SBU Sports: Women’s hoops ousts UML in semis

The matchup everyone had been anticipating a year ago finally is ready to take place. The No. 2-seeded Stony Brook women’s basketball team defeated No. 3 UMass Lowell, 75-55, on Sunday, March 7 at Island Federal Arena in the America East semifinals.

That sets up a matchup at top-seeded Maine on Friday at 5 p.m. for the right to head to the NCAA Tournament.

Stony Brook and Maine had been set to meet a year ago in the America East finals on Long Island, with the seeds flipped, when COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the conference tournament.

“We’re excited,” coach Caroline McCombs said. “It’s been a long journey, when you go back and think about the opportunity we had last year to play Maine at home. And now we get another opportunity. It’s not on our home floor, but we did all the little things in order to have an opportunity to play in this championship game. I’m just really proud of our players.”

On Sunday, the Seawolves (14-5) used a 21-8 second quarter to turn a one-point lead into a comfortable advantage.

Anastasia Warren, Asiah Dingle, India Pagan and Earlette Scott scored in double-figures in the victory.

“We really wanted this for us,” Warren said. “… It means so much to me and my teammates, even the transfers who came. We wanted this so much for each other, because obviously you know what happened last year.”