KEENE, 2/20/10 - The Keene State College women's basketball team secured a first-round home court game in the upcoming Little East Conference tournament with a 61-43 victory over UMass-Dartmouth on Senior Day at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.    Forward Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.), one of five Owl seniors playing in their final home regular -season game, also marked the occasion by scoring her 1,000th career point in the second half.

Keene State (16-8, 8-6 LEC), which has won three out of its last four games, will be the fourth seed in the tournament and host fifth seed Rhode Island College on Tuesday ( 7 p.m.) RIC defeated Plymouth State (67-55) giving UMass-Dartmouth (10-15, 5-9) the sixth and final seed in the tournament. 

"Playing at home in front of our home fans is better than hitting the road," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "Hopefully, we'll be ready for Tuesday."

Boucher started his five seniors (Kristin Degou, Jen Cleavelend, Alyssa Sapp, Celeste Veillieux, and Simmler) in the game.

Leading by as many as eight points (17-9) early in the game, the Owls had to settle for a five point (24-19) halftime lead.  Both teams struggled for the field.

KSC scored the first five point of the second half, going up 29-19 on a breakaway lay-up by Simmler.  Simmler put her name in the KSC record book when she netted her 1,000th- career point at the 7:55 mark of the half.  Taking an inbounds pass from sophomore Sarah Laudano (North Haven, Conn.), Simmler stepped back and swished a three-pointer to become the 17th player and the second Owl this season to reach the milestone. 

Simmler said she knew she was close to the milestone entering the game.  Everyone came up to me and told me I was close.  It was an amazing feeling when it went in," Simmler said.  "It's nice to get my 1,000th point, but winning the game and getting the home tournament games means more to me.  I want to finish the season strong."

"I knew Nicole would score 1,000-points since she was a freshman," said Boucher.  "I'm very happy for her. She's worked hard at the game and this is the result."

Keene State pulled away from the Corsairs in the closing minutes of play.  Back-to-back three-pointers by senior guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) and Simmler and a conventional three-point play by senior forward Jen Cleaveland (Newington, Conn.) put the Owls up 59-40 with 1:29 to play.

Degou finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, and three assists to lead the Owls.  Simmler scored 16 points and Cleaveland chipped in with 11 points and five rebounds.

Junior guard Lynley DeAmato (Melrose, Mass.) was the lone UMD player in double-figures, finishing with 13 points.  Junior forward Tashauna Ashmeade (Hyannis, Mass.) had a team high 10 rebounds.

The Owls heated up hitting 13 of its 23 shots for the field (57%) in the second half.  The Corsairs had a tough day, going 16-52 from the field (31%) and 3-19 (16%) from behind the arc.

Keene State, which has won the last 12 meetings against UMD, swept the season series winning 54-49 in North Dartmouth on Jan. 16