BOX SCORE

WORCESTER, Mass. - Ashara Carrington (Marblehead, MA) finished with a career-high 15 points and grabbed six rebounds as Southern New Hampshire University posted a 61-58 Northeast-10 women's basketball victory over Assumption College at Laska Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.  The Penmen, who snapped a six game slide with the victory, improved to 12-14 overall and 8-13 in NE-10 play, setting a school record for NE-10 wins.  The Greyhounds, who entered the contest third in the conference and fourth in the Northeast Region, are now 21-7 and 15-6 in the league.

With the win, SNHU maintained a one-game lead over UMass Lowell for the final Northeast-10 playoff berth.  The River Hawks were 59-57 upset winners over American International Saturday.  The Penmen can secure their second-ever NE-10 playoff berth with a win Tuesday at Saint Michael's or a UML loss to Saint Rose on Tuesday.

Carrington finished 4-5 from the floor and 7-7 from the free throw line in just 17 minutes of action.  Stephanie Houghton (Manchester, NH) totaled 12 points on 4-7 shooting, while Alyssa Whitney (Somerville, MA) registered nine points, three assists and three steals for Southern New Hampshire.

Trish Gardner paced Assumption with 13 points and six assists, while Kayla Parker added 11 points and Megan Urban 10.

SNHU trailed 33-31 at halftime but used a 7-0 run early in the second half to take a 38-35 lead with 15:43 left on a basket by Houghton.  Gardner would tie the game 38-38 at the 14:15 mark with a three-pointer but the Penmen countered with a 7-0 run capped by a pair of free throws by Carrington with 12:18 left that made it 45-38.

Assumption chipped away at the Penmen lead and a pair of free throws by Parker with just under four minutes left gave Assumption a 51-50 lead.  The lead was short-lived, as Brooke Lefort (Cumberland, RI) nailed a jumper from the left corner on SNHU's next possession to give the guests a 52-51 lead.  The Penmen built a 57-54 lead before layups by Urban and Gardner, Gardner's coming with 56 seconds left, gave Assumption a 58-57 lead.  Gardner was fouled and missed the free throw.

Sara Tucker (Red Hook, NY) would be fouled grabbing an offensive rebound on SNHU's next possession and made both free throws to put the Penmen back on top 59-58.  Assumption would turn it over on their next possession and Houghton would be fouled, sinking a pair at the line with 14 seconds to go.  Molly Griffiths tried to tie the game with a three with seven seconds left but her attempt was blocked by Carrington, and a final shot attempt by Griffiths before the horn was off the mark.

SNHU trailed 14-4 just 5:23 into the contest, but the Penmen would work their way back into the game and tie it 22-22 with just over five minutes before halftime on a pair of Carrington free throws.  The Penmen eked out a 26-24 lead with 4:19 before intermission on a Julia Houghtaling (Franconia, NH) basket.  Assumption held a 33-29 lead late but a steal and layup by Houghton moments before the first half horn gave the hosts just a two-point lead, 33-31, at the break.

Southern New Hampshire, which limited Assumption to 37% shooting in the second half after the Greyhounds were 59.3% in the first half, outrebounded the hosts 33-31.  The Penmen shot 50% in the second half and were 17-19 (89.5%) from the free throw line for the game as opposed to Assumption's 4-10 effort at the charity stripe.