KEENE, N.H. – Meagan Donovan led the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth with 12 points, none bigger than the last three, as her trey with five seconds left sent the Keene State College women's basketball team to a tough 46-45 loss in Little East Conference action Saturday afternoon at Spaulding Gymnasium.

Records

• Keene State:  4-7, 1-3 LEC
• UMass-Dartmouth:  7-4, 1-1 LEC

How It Happened
A game between one team that had not played in 35 days (Keene State) and the other that had not played in 38 (UMass-Dartmouth) came right down to the wire, as neither side led by more than seven, but the Owls could not overcome a 28 percent shooting effort from the floor and a minus-14 gap on the glass.  Aryanna Murray paced KSC with 16 points while Brianna Metellus added 10 (4-7 FG), eight of which came in an uplifting fourth quarter comeback that could have provided the Owls a strong start in an extremely busy stretch over the next three weeks.  Keene State led 30-29 entering the final 10 minutes, but saw the Corsairs open the quarter on an 8-0 burst over the opening four minutes to suddenly build what seemed as though it might be an insurmountable edge in a game where the teams had combined for just 67 total points at that point (and 91 overall by the end).  The Owls had other ideas, however, as Metellus connected from distance with 5:55 to go to make it 37-33 and tied the game at 39 with another trey a minute and a half later.  After UMD again went ahead by three on Jordan Moretti's three, Derosia's bucket and free throw on the very next trip knotted the game at 42 at the 3:31 mark.  Neither team made a field goal over the next 3:26, but the Owls went up 44-43 with a little less than three minutes on Murray's free throw and clamped down on UMass-Dartmouth's offense, forcing a turnover and three missed shots to keep their slim lead into the final minute.  The Owls had the ball four times with the lead in the final 2:44, but were unable to build it any higher than two after Rylee Burgess went 1-for-2 at the foul line with 12 seconds left, and that ultimately bit them when Donovan connected from deep following UMD's timeout.  The Owls made 4-of-7 free throws in the fourth quarter and 5-of 11 in the game, though the Corsairs were just 6-of-12 themselves.  Even still, KSC had one final chance at a game-winner after a timeout of their own when Jenny Freedman drove the lane and kicked to Derosia for a wide open three, but it rimmed out as the Corsairs won despite being held to a season-low in points.  They had lost three of four entering today after a 5-1 start to their season.

For the Owls, it was another strong defensive showing, holding UMD to a 35-percent shooting effort and only 4-of-22 from distance.  KSC has limited their opponents to a combined 31 percent showing in their last seven games dating to November 16 and their league opponents to only a 33 percent mark in the last four games, but it has not resulted in wins, with the Owls managing just 45 points apiece offensively in their last two contests.  They used their defense to get off to a strong start today, as UMass-Dartmouth connected on a frigid 6-of-21 (29 percent) in the opening 20 minutes and had just 11 points with 1:15 left in the half.  Keene State opened a 5-0 lead very early before then trailing 11-7, but seemed as though they would have significant momentum heading into halftime when they scored 11 in a row to lead 18-11.  UMD did not score for nearly eight minutes and had nothing going on offense, turning the ball over 20 times in the first half, but five points in the final 29 seconds of the half brought them within 18-16 at the break.  Murray and Freedman attacked the basket early in the third as KSC pushed their advantage back out to six (24-18) at the 7:06 mark, but they subsequently saw UMD go on an 11-3 run that ate up much of the quarter.  The Owls never could gain much separation, as despite an impressive 5-for-10 effort from three-point range in the second half, they were only 3-of-18 (17 percent) from inside the arc.

Freedman finished with seven points (3-7 FG, 1-1 3-PT), four rebounds, and two assists.  Burgess grabbed nine rebounds.

Donovan made 5-of-10 from the field in her 12-point, five rebound showing.  Moretti added 11 points (4-14 FG), seven rebounds, and six assists.

Inside the Paint

• After combining for seven assists and 33 miscues in the opening half, the teams had 13 helpers and 10 turnovers in the second half (UMD 9/6, KSC 4/4).
• KSC is 1-5 against UMass-Dartmouth in their last six at Spaulding Gymnasium.  The Corsairs had won just once in Keene prior to January 17, 2015.
• Murray is averaging 10.8 points per game over her last six (since November 23).

Up Next

• Keene State visits Castleton University (7-4, 1-2 LEC) on Wednesday, January 19 for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.  The Spartans have not played since January 3.  The Owls swept Castleton in last year's short season.
• UMass-Dartmouth hosts Eastern Connecticut State University (6-7, 3-1 LEC) on Monday, January 17 (4:00 p.m.) in a game that has been moved up nine days.  The Warriors won the first meeting this season, 60-50.