KEENE, N.H.  3/4/09  - The fourth-seeded Keene State College women's basketball team overcame a late second half deficit to post a 58-53 victory over the fifth seed University of New England in a quarterfinal game of the ECAC New England Tournament at Spaulding Gym on Wednesday night.   

Keene State (21-7) will travel to Dudley, Mass. to take on top seed Nichols College in a semifinal game on Saturday (7 p.m.).  Nichols defeated eighth seed Plymouth State 66-54 in its opening-round game.  The Owls defeated the Bison 61-47 earlier this season.

The University of New England, coached by former Owl assistant Anthony Ewing, concludes its season with a 20-8 record.

Junior guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) scored 12 of her game high 17 points in the second half to lead Keene State.

Keene State appeared to be in command in the first half, opening up its biggest lead (31-18) on a three-pointer by freshman guard Meghan Farrell (Chester, Vt.) at the 3:18 mark.

The Nor'easters put together a 9-0 run to cut the Owls lead to four points (31-27 on a lay-up by sophomore guard Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) with just under a minute to go in the half. 

Freshman guard Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) drained a three-pointer to send KSC to the locker room with a 34-27 lead.

UNE used the three-ball to take the lead.  Consecutive baskets from behind the arc by senior guard Alli Gamache (Dudley, Mass.), freshman guard Kelley Paradis (Newport, Me.), and Gamache again put the Nor'easters up 40-34 at the 15:30 mark.

Five straight points by Degou got the Owls within three points (46-43) with 11:28 to play.

Keene State returned the favor by taking back the lead on a pair of three-pointers by senior guard Michele Boudreau (Readsboro, Vt.), her second put the Owls up 52-51 with 5:32 to go.

After a KSC timeout, Degou, standing two-feet behind the line, buried a three-pointer to make it 55-51 with 4:20 to play. 

Keene State turned up the defensive pressure and didn't allow a UNE field goal the rest of the way.   

"It was our defense that won it," said Degou.  "At the end we were to knock down some key baskets and get stops at the other end of the court."

"I thought our defense was lax in the early part of the game," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "When the defense really counted we clamped down and didn't allow them a good look."

"In a tournament you survive and move on," he said. "I'm excited about going down there and play against the top seed."

Boudreau and Cirillo finished with 10 points each while Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.) had a team high nine rebounds.  Boudreau also had six steals, one shy of the KSC career record of 265 held by KSC half of famer Tina Gonyea.

Gamache had 12 points and senior forward Sara Pelkey (Barre, Vt.) had a game high 11 rebounds to lead the Nor'easters.

Keene State is playing in its fourth ECAC tournament. UNE is making its second appearance.