WESTON, Mass. – Powered by a balanced offensive attack, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's basketball team opened its 2023-24 season with a 78-63 victory at Regis College on Saturday evening. Three players reached double-figures for the Corsairs, including a game-best 21 points from grad student
Carly Whiteside.
It was a close game throughout the opening half as the Corsairs owned a one-point advantage (17-16) after the opening quarter of play. UMass Dartmouth trailed by a nine-point margin at the 5:39 mark, but pulled back into the contest as back-to-back free throws from junior guard
Melanie DeMeo, coupled with shots from senior guard
Teja Andrews and Whiteside made it a 13-12 deficit for the visitors with 3:13 remaining in the opening quarter.
DeMeo drained a bucket at 1:33, closing the gap to 14-16, adding a free throw, while a layup from sophomore guard
Tyah Pettaway sent the Corsairs into the second quarter with the 17-16 lead.
Second quarter action saw the Corsairs open up a seven-point lead at 7:21 behind a three-pointer from junior guard
Amaris Mills. Consecutive baskets by Regis' Madi Zancan saw the Pride pull back to within four and the home tied it up at 32-all with a Haley Lightbody layup. DeMeo sent the Corsairs into halftime up 36-34 with a pair of free throw makes.
Out of the intermission, the Corsairs began to widen the gap as a free throw from Whiteside made it a nine-point (46-37) advantage at 7:49. Pettaway drained a three minutes later to make it a double-digit lead (49-39) and after some back-and-forth, the Corsairs opened it to 11 points behind a bucket from senior forward
Jemima Joseph. Regis saw Courtney Doherty bank a layup in the final minute to make it a 54-46 UMass Dartmouth lead into the final quarter.
The Corsairs continued to press in the fourth quarter as consecutive free throws from Whiteside made it a 59-46 advantage. Whiteside went on to add three more points for a 5-0 run and a layup from Andrews made it a 64-46 lead with 6:31 to play.
UMass Dartmouth continued to take advantage at the free throw line as Whiteside nailed two more and DeMeo posted a jumper and a three back-to-back for a 7152 margin with 3:22 to play. Regis battled back into it late, but the Corsairs offense proved too much.
Whiteside posted 21 points with seven rebounds in the contest, while DeMeo chipped in with 18 points and a team-best nine rebounds. Pettaway recorded 10 points and nine rebounds – just missing the double-double, while Andrews dropped in nine points, five boards and two assists.
Regis was paced by a game-high 21 points, eight boards and a game-best five assists from Doherty, while Jordyn Striggles had 16 points with two rebounds and three steals. Zancan hit a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Corsairs shots 35.4% (28 of 79) for the game, while going 16 of 27 (59.3%) from the free throw line. UMass Dartmouth also owned a 56-43 margin in rebounding for the contest.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Newport, R.I., for a 7pm match at Salve Regina.
