Women's Basketball Drops Road Game to UMass

November 9, 2021

Central Connecticut women's basketball was defeated by the University of Massachusetts in the season opener on Tuesday. Senior Ashley Berube, who is playing in her first game since December 20 of last year, shot 50% from the floor and led both teams in scoring with 17 points.

GAME INFORMATION

FINAL SCORE CCSU 50 UMass 87

RECORDS CCSU (0-1, 0-0 NEC) UMass (1-0, 0-0 A10)

LOCATION Mullins Center | Amherst, MA

KEY MOMENTS

UMass was in a groove on both ends of the court to start the game. The minutewomen went on a 13-2 run and forced five straight misses from CCSU.
Eden Nibbelink ignited the Central offense after this early slump, hitting an and-one jumpshot splashing a three just a few moments later to bring the Blue Devils to within five.
Belle Lanpher followed up Nibbelink's three with a deep score of her own. On the ensuing Blue Devil possession, Lanpher assisted on another and-one play, this one from Berube.
Berube made another shot to bring CCSU back to within five, but the Blue Devils struck out on three late three pointers going to end the first.
Both teams had their worst quarters shooting in the second. The Blue Devils missed out on all five of their three point attempts while UMass shot 40% from the floor and added 11 to their lead.
Forever Toppin shook off the early season rust and started out the second half on fire. In less than a minute of time on-court, Toppin assisted on a Dejah Jenkins three, got a steal, assisted on another Blue Devil score and grabbed a board on the other end.
UMass snapped off a 9-0 run that was halted by another Jenkins three.
Looking to make a long run quickly, the three ball was not kind to the Blue Devils in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's game. CCSU missed their first seven attempts from deep and finished the quarter 1-10.
Toppin finished off the game for the Blue Devils with two straight boards and two straight scores.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

3 - Dejah Jenkins was a ball hawk on Tuesday, notching three steals against UMass.

87.5% - The Blue Devils were lights out at the line, knocking down 87.5% of their shots. For random trivia purposes, the Blue Devils best night from the line last season was also in its first game (90.9% against Saint Francis Brooklyn on December 2, 2020).

32 - The interior defense for the Blue Devils was expoited by the Minutewomen on Tuesday as UMass outscored CCSU 54-22 in the paint.

NOTES

The starting five for tonight's game featured Toppin, Jenkins, Eden Nibbelink, Claire Sutherland-Case and Berube. Bella Lanpher and Meghan Kenefick were the most used role players in the game, logging 25 and 20 minutes, respectively.
This ties the all-time series between CCSU and UMass at 3 wins each.

UP NEXT...

The Blue Devils will be on their home court next game when they host in-state opponent and former NEC school Quinnipiac.