SPRINGFIELD, MASS.  1/2/10 – Playing its first game in 22 days, a rusty Keene State College women's basketball team lost to Tufts University 45-29 in an opening-round game of the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic on Sunday.

The Owls, who fall to 3-6, will play host Springfield College (3-7) in the consolation game of the tournament on Monday (5 p.m.).  RPI (4-6) edged the Pride 59-56 in their first-round game.  RPI faces Tufts (7-1) in the championship game at 7 p.m.

A cold-shooting Owl team hit just four of its 21 shots from the field (19%), falling behind 24-14 at the half.  Trailing 12-8 at the 12:54 mark, KSC scored just six more points the rest of the way.  For the game, KSC shot 23% from the field (9-40), 2-8 (25%) from behind the arc, and 9-17 (53%) from the line.  The Owls didn't help themselves with 28 turnovers.  

 Tufts also strugled fro the field, hitting 19 of its 59 shots (32%).

Junior Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) was the lone Owl in double-figures, finishing with 14 points and nine rebounds.  Junior Meghan Farrell (Chester, Vt.) pulled down a career high 13 rebounds in a losing effort.

Senior Colleen Hart (Needham, Mass.) scored 14 points while Vanessa Miller added nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Tufts, who surrendered its fewest points in a game since Nov. 19, 2004, when it allowed just 23 points in a win over Bryn Mawr College.