KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College women's basketball team recovered reasonably well after falling behind 17-2 in the first quarter, drawing within six with less than two minutes to go in the first half.  However, they then scored only 10 points in the rest of the game as they lost to Eastern Connecticut State University 56-27 in a Little East Conference contest Monday night at Spaulding Gymnasium.

Records

• Keene State:  4-10, 1-6 LEC
• Eastern Connecticut:  9-8, 6-2 LEC

How It Happened
The Owls made just 10 of 54 shots from the field on the evening, shooting 18.5 percent overall, as they dropped their fifth consecutive game.  KSC never led, falling behind 10-0 in five minutes and then 17-2 with 2:03 to go in the opening quarter.  Kenzie Durnford scored Keene State's only points over the opening 8:49, a bucket at the 3:36 mark, as the Owls opened 1-for-10 from the field and committed five turnovers to fall behind by 15 points in the first, their biggest deficit in any opening period this season.  Elizabeth Gonyea made a three and Aryanna Murray a jumper in the closing moments to draw KSC within 10, and the Owls continued to try to claw their way out of a miserable start, getting within 21-14 on another basket by Gonyea with 4:11 left in the second quarter.  Brianna Metellus chipped the deficit to six with less than two minutes to go in the half as the Owls got as close as they had been yet while seeming to gather at least some momentum, but Eastern's Danielle O'Brien converted a three-point play on the ensuing possession and their nine-point lead (26-17) remained intact at the break.  KSC made only six of 27 field goal attempts in the opening 20 minutes – one game after having just five makes in the first half at the University of Southern Maine – but hung around thanks to a defense that forced nine turnovers.

Murray started off the third quarter with a layup 2:15 in to make it a seven-point game (26-19), and the Owls were still within 10 with 2:17 left in the period after another basket by her as well as two free throws by Gonyea, but KSC overall could not take advantage of holding the Warriors to just nine points in the quarter, as they went into the fourth down 35-23.  ECSU ran away in the final 10 minutes, outscoring the Owls 21-4 as KSC committed four turnovers and made only two of 16 tries from the field.  The Warriors scored the quarter's first 21 points before Samantha Lee snapped the drought by scoring with 1:27 left.  Keene State seemed to find some offensive traction with a 50 percent effort in the second half Saturday at the University of Southern Maine, but tonight were held to their lowest point total since December 28, 2011 when they fell to No. 20 University of Mary Washington 46-25 in New Orleans.  The Owls led that game 16-15 at halftime.

Gonyea scored seven points and added four rebounds to lead KSC.  She now has 32 points in her last three games on 8-for-17 shooting from three.  Murray finished with six.

Julie Keckler paced Eastern Connecticut, who got 27th-year head coach Denise Bierly her 500th career coaching victory (500-241), with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting.  Danielle O'Brien added 11 points (3-5 FG, 2-4 3-PT) and Jenna Serrantino 10.

Inside the Paint

• Keene State has lost seven straight overall to the Warriors since beating them in the 2017 Little East tournament championship game (which came 11 days after another blowout win in Willimantic).  The Owls have lost 11 consecutive games on their home court to ECSU, the last four by double-figures.
• The Warriors have held their last three opponents to 39, 38, and 27 points respectively on the heels of four consecutive losses previously.  They had allowed 82 points to now 15th-ranked Springfield College on December 31 and 71 to Rhode Island College on January 5.

Up Next

• Keene State hosts Plymouth State University (1-8, 0-4 LEC) on Wednesday, January 26 for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.  The Panthers will have played just one game since December 12.  They have not played since January 8.
• Eastern Connecticut sees Plymouth visit Willimantic on Saturday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m.