LEE, N.H. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive struggle and missed opportunities, the New Hampshire Wildcats mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback to stun the Albany Great Danes 45-42 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Lundholm Gym.

The contest, a rematch of a Jan. 24 meeting won by New Hampshire, appeared to be slipping away from the Wildcats through three quarters. Albany, leveraging its interior presence, built a 30-24 lead entering the final period despite offensive difficulties from both teams. The Great Danes had controlled the tempo, holding New Hampshire to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters.

The decisive shift came in the fourth quarter, where New Hampshire erupted for 21 points, nearly matching their total from the first three quarters combined. Trailing by six, the Wildcats found their rhythm from beyond the arc and capitalized on flawless free-throw shooting. A critical 9-0 run, fueled by three-pointers from Camryn Fauria and Elizabeth Lavoie and a triple from Maggie Cavanaugh, turned a 30-24 deficit into a 33-30 lead with 4:30 remaining.

Albany’s Amaya Stewart, who finished with a game-high 19 points, repeatedly attacked the basket to keep the Great Danes close. Her layup with 3:05 left cut the Wildcats’ lead to 36-34. After a Delanie Hill steal led to two made free throws by Hill, Albany tied the game at 38 with two minutes to play.

The final minutes became a tense exchange of leads. New Hampshire’s Eva DeChent, who scored 14 points, answered with a tough turnaround jumper and a subsequent free throw to put the Wildcats up 41-38. Stewart again responded for Albany, converting a layup with eight seconds left to narrow the gap to 43-42.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Albany’s Martina Borrellas was called for a foul on DeChent with eight seconds remaining. DeChent, unflappable at the line, sank both free throws to extend the lead to 45-42. Albany had one final chance, but Delanie Hill’s contested three-point attempt from the top of the key as time expired missed, sealing the Wildcats’ comeback victory.

The game’s offensive struggles were stark. Albany shot 32% from the floor and 21% from three-point range. New Hampshire was only marginally better, shooting 29% overall but a decisive 38% from deep. The Wildcats’ perfect 9-for-9 performance at the free-throw line, including six makes in the fourth quarter, proved a pivotal difference, as Albany went 6-for-9.

Beyond Stewart’s 19 points for Albany, Delanie Hill added 12 points. For New Hampshire, DeChent’s 14 points were complemented by 11 points from Sydney Lusher and a crucial all-around effort from Maggie Cavanaugh, who tallied seven points and six assists.

Defensively, both teams were active, each recording six steals and forcing 13 turnovers. The rebounding battle was nearly even, with Albany holding a slight 7-6 edge on the offensive glass.

The loss drops Albany to 14-15 overall, while New Hampshire improves to 10-19. The game was an America East conference matchup attended by 401 fans.

The most important part of the game was New Hampshire’s dramatic fourth-quarter transformation. After being held to 24 points through 30 minutes on 8-of-38 shooting, the Wildcats nearly doubled their output in the final frame. They shot 6-of-11 in the quarter, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, and were a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. This offensive explosion, contrasted with Albany’s continued scoring woes, allowed New Hampshire to overcome a deficit that had felt substantial in such a low-possession, defensively oriented contest. The Wildcats’ ability to execute in the clutch, particularly from the foul line, turned a game they had trailed for over 35 minutes into a season-sweeping victory.