Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
6-1,0-0Patriot
University of Massachusetts
2-4,0-0Atlantic 10
Women’s Basketball Defeats UMass
November 24, 2024 | Women's Basketball
AMHERST, Mass. – The Army West Point women's basketball team (6-1) defeated UMass (2-4) 56-50 on the road Saturday afternoon.
Trinity Hardy led the charge with 20 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and four assists. Kya Smith dominated the boards, pulling down nine rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Black Knights came out strong, opening the first quarter with an 8-0 run fueled by two three-pointers from Reese Ericson and a layup by Hardy. UMass answered with a three-pointer, but Kya Smith quickly responded to maintain a 10-3 lead.
The Minutewomen fought back with an 11-2 run in the final four minutes of the quarter, taking a narrow 14-12 lead into the second.
The second quarter saw both teams trading leads in a tight battle. UMass led 17-16 after the first four minutes, but Taylor Wilson's two free throws shifted momentum back to Army. The Black Knights held onto the lead for the rest of the half, heading into the locker room up 29-24, with UMass staying within striking distance.
Coming out of halftime, Army extended their lead with a quick 4-0 run, pushing the advantage to nine points. UMass answered with two free throws, but the Black Knights remained composed, outscoring the Minutewomen 13-10 in the third quarter to take a 42-34 lead into the final frame.
UMass opened the fourth quarter aggressively, cutting the deficit to six with a quick jumper. Army responded with a 10-2 run, extending their lead to 12 with just under six minutes to play.
In the final five minutes, UMass staged a furious comeback, outscoring Army 12-2 to pull within two points, 52-50, with 20 seconds remaining. However, clutch free throws by Hardy and Tade in the closing moments sealed the 56-50 victory for the Black Knights.
NEXT UP
Army will enjoy a well-deserved break before continuing their road stretch on December 3, facing Mercyhurst at 1:00 PM.
