'KEENE, N.H.  2/11/03  –  Keene State College's upset bid against #16 ranked and LEC co-leader Eastern Connecticut came up shot with a tough 80-76 loss in a LEC women's basketball game played Tuesday in Keene.

Junior forward Andrea Arsenault (Dover, N.H.) had 22 points, freshman guard Bekka Hopkins (Oxford, MA.) scored a season-high 17 points, and senior forward

Hayley Alaimo (Ellington, CT) finished with 16 points to lead the Owls (13-9, 5-6 LEC). Julie Tardif (Atkinson, N.H.) had a team high 10 rebounds to go with her seven points.

Leading by 10 (37-27) at halftime, KSC built its lead up to 16 points (52-36) before ECSU comeback charge.  A basket by Arsenault gave KSC a 69-65 lead with 18 seconds to play.  A three-pointer and foul shot by Allison Coleman (Jewett City, CT) cut the lead to one point (69-68) with seven seconds to go. Cathy Mechare (Falls Village, CT) hit a pair of free throws to make it 71-68, but Coleman sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer.

The Warriors outscored the Owls 9-5 in the overtime with Coleman hitting the go-ahead three pointer to put ECSU up 76-73. KSC answered with a basket by Alaimo, but could not close the gap the rest of the way.

Coleman finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds to lead Eastern CT (20-2, 10-1 LEC) to its seventh straight win. 

Keene State host Western CT on Saturday (1 p.m.).

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