Rich Lombard/Collegian

Rich Lombard/Collegian

The Massachusetts women’s basketball team is in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.

After its 70-50 win over Saint Bonaventure, coupled with a La Salle loss, the Minutewomen are still in the hunt for a conference title.

UMass shot 59 percent from the field, including 86 percent from the free-throw line (13-for-15). Three Minutewoman starters finished the game in double-digits in points.

The Maroon and White played a fast paced game, causing turnovers and working hard in the transition game.

However at the halftime buzzer, the Bonnies had already spoiled the Maroon and White’s dominance, tying the game three times.

UMass held the lead for much of the first half, the Bonnies trailing by as much as 12. Senior forward Alisha Tatham finished the game with a double-double, including career-high’s in points (15) and rebounds (14).

Senior guard Pam Rosanio was the key to UMass’s energy in the first frame, notching three assists, two rebounds and two steals. By game’s end, Rosanio led all players in points, with 22. Her sound defense led to four turnovers.

As a team, the Minutewomen cause 15 turnovers and converted both fast break chances. Saint Bonaventure didn’t help its cause by converting only 32 percent of its shots from the field. They were also out-rebounded 36-26.

The Bonnies are normally a team that spreads its offense out and takes shots from the wing, but the defense of Mills and Rosanio caused them to take more chances inside the paint.

Saint Bonaventure had to dig deep into its bench, as its two best players, center Dana Mitchell and guard Katelyn Murray, combined for only seven points, out of 19 shots.

One of the only bright spots for the Bonnies was that Murray had four steals on the night. However, she couldn’t convert many of the steals, as Rosanio disrupted the rhythm of the normally dominant scorer. Rosanio was one of the main reasons that Murray had four fouls, two of which were late in the second half.

UMass caught a break in the form of a leg injury to Saint Bonaventure junior forward Erica Schiefen, who was a problem on offense for the Minutewomen in the first half.

Schiefen returned minutes later, but it was already a different game.

Rosanio bothered the Bonnie offense all game in transition, while senior center Kate Mills blocked shots left and right. Mills turned away eight shots, to go with 10 points and seven rebounds.

The extra pressure that Saint Bonaventure put on Mills opened up the floor for her teammates to show the skills that they are not usually credited for having.

“[The Bonnies] opened up the middle of the floor more and we were able to get inside the paint a little more,” Mills said. “I think [the pressure] gave my teammates a lot more confidence in themselves, which they definitely deserve.”

Freshman guard/forward Stephanie Lawrence was perfect in scoring on the night, going one-for-one from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the foul line.

Lawrence saw extended time because freshman forward Teya Wright found herself in foul trouble early in the game.

“It’s inexperience,” said UMass coach Marnie Dacko of Wright. “Teya’s just getting her feet wet. We have her playing defense away from the [basket] and she’s got to slide [her feet], she’s a dominant force on the boards.”

UMass only needed 10 points from its bench, while Saint Bonaventure mustered 25 from its reserves.

Next up for the Minutewomen is their regular season finale in Philadelphia, Pa., against the Temple Owls.

Mike Gillmeister can be reached at [email protected]