Women's Basketball Opens Season With 46-41 Home Victory Over Hartford

Senior Justina Udenze scored a game-high 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Central Connecticut State University women's basketball team opened the season with a 46-41 home victory over Hartford on Friday night. The win is the first season-opening win for the Blue Devils since the 1999-2000 season. Central is now 1-0, and plays at home again next Wednesday night vs. Brown at 7 p.m.

The Blue Devils trailed 39-31 with 6:53 on the clock following a three-point basket from Hartford's Jackie Smith. They answered in a big way, outscoring the Hawks 15-2 to end the game and come away with the victory.

The win for the Blue Devils is the first against the Hawks since the 1997-98 season.

The Blue Devils held the Hawks to 22.4 percent shooting from the floor in the victory. Hartford was just 4-of-24 from the field in the first half, and 13-of-58 for the game. Central led 20-17 at the break.

But the Hawks answered in the second half, building the lead to as many as eight with just under seven minutes to play. The Blue Devil defense led the 15-2 run, forcing the Hawks to miss 12 of their final 13 shots in the game. During the same run the Blue Devils hit 5-of-9 shots from the field, including their final four shots of the game.

Udenze led the offense with a game-high 13 points. She added 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Classmate Leanne Crockett added eight points and a game-high 13 boards, the 24th time in the last three seasons she has recorded 10 or more rebounds in a game.

Junior Gabrielle Oglesby added eight points and six rebounds for Central, who outrebounded the Hawks 53-43 in the game.

Central returns to action next Wednesday night hosting Brown beginning at 7 p.m.