MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury College used a 10-0 run in overtime to take control after the Keene State College women's basketball team scored the opening basket and went on to edge the Owls 84-74 in the final game of the Middlebury Tip-Off Classic Sunday afternoon at Pepin Gymnasium.
Records
- Keene State: 2-2
- Middlebury: 2-0
How It Happened
KSC put four in double-figures, outshot the Panthers 46.2 percent to 41.3 percent, made 8-of-18 from long range and held the lead for nearly 10 more minutes than Middlebury in the game, but much like Saturday against Babson College, could not overcome 24 turnovers that resulted in a 34-18 edge in points for the home team. The Owls won the second quarter 21-16 thanks to 60 percent shooting (3-of-6 from three) to expand a one-point lead after one to six at halftime, and eventually were up 11 (43-32) barely over two minutes into the second half, but the Panthers hit back with a 15-5 burst to get within one after three. Middlebury extended the surge further in the opening moments of the fourth, scoring eight of the first nine points to go in front by six, but back came KSC with eight in a row for a 57-55 edge on a
Jackie Alibrandi triple with 5:35 left. A game that saw 12 ties and eight lead changes was predictably tight down the stretch, as
Hailey Derosia connected from distance to tie the game at 60 with 4:29 to go and then gave the Owls a 65-64 lead with another trey at the 2:35 mark. She made two of her three long-range tries on the day and 6-of-12 shots from the field to score 14 points. The Owl junior's efficiency continues, now having made 23-of-42 shots this year and 5-of-10 from three-point range while averaging 16 points per game. Derosia shot 50 percent (9-of-18) and made 4-of-6 threes while scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds in 43 minutes on the tournament this weekend.
Gianna Palli gave her team the lead back with 2:12 remaining and was followed by a layup by Alexa Mustafaj on the next possession to make it 69-65, but KSC did not go away, getting a jumper by
Jenny Freedman out of a timeout with 1:15 to go to remain within one possession (69-67). Palli made one of two at the foul line with 31 seconds left after Augusta Dixon picked up a board off Palli's missed three. KSC came up empty on their next trip down 70-67, but got another chance following an offensive foul on Mustafaj and made the Panthers pay, forcing overtime on a clutch three by Alibrandi, who was 3-of-6 from deep on the day and is shooting 39 percent from there this season even with the line moved back.
Aryanna Murray fed
Rylee Burgess for a bucket after KSC won the tip in overtime, but the extra session belonged to Middlebury after that, who scored 10 straight in a 2:21 span to go in front 80-72. After the Owls made it a two-possession differential with 47 ticks left, the Panthers sealed the win by making a jumper and two at the free throw line over the remainder of the game. Keene State struggled offensively in the overtime without Derosia, who fouled out with 34 seconds left in regulation, making just one of six shots from the field while turning the ball over twice, both of which resulted in Panther baskets just seconds later. Middlebury connected on 5-of-7 from the floor in the final five minutes.
Alibrandi led KSC with 15 points (6-10 FG, 3-6 3-PT) and five rebounds. Burgess finished with 12 points (6-9 FG) and
Kenzie Durnford had the most impressive showing of her young career, totaling 12 points (2-4 3-PT), seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Murray chipped in eight points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Reagan McDonald made four of ten threes to score a game-high 22 points to lead Middlebury. Palli finished with 20 points but required 19 shots to reach that total. Mustafaj had 19 for the Panthers, who had all but six of their points come from starters, four of whom played 40 minutes or more one day after having no trouble dispatching Clarkson University 87-29 when four of the five played 24 minutes or less.
Inside the Paint
- Keene State leads the all-time series 11-7, but has dropped the last four meetings in a row after taking the previous three. Today's overtime contest was the first between the teams since January 4, 1997, a 74-61 Owl win that saw them snap a 25-game home winning streak for the Panthers.
- KSC had a slight 40-37 edge on the glass, though was outrebounded 6-2 in overtime.
- The Owls are shooting 46.1 percent from the floor this season (highest in the Little East Conference) and 35 percent from three-point range (2nd).
Up Next
- Keene State visits the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (0-3) on Tuesday, November 16 for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
- Middlebury goes to New York to take on Union College (0-1) on the same night (6:00 p.m.).
