WESTFIELD, Mass. – Sophomore guard Aryanna Murray had 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting and five assists while two others efficiently scored in double-figures, but the Keene State College women's basketball team could not overcome turnovers or a 4-for-18 three-point shooting performance as they lost at Westfield State University 66-55 to kick off the 2022-2023 season at the Woodward Center Tuesday night.

Records

• Keene State:  0-1
• Westfield State:  1-0

How It Happened
In addition to Murray, Kenzie Durnford finished with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting and 11 rebounds for a double-double, while first year Valerie Luizzi added 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-5 3-PT), eight rebounds, six steals, and two assists in a strong debut.  However, the Owls saw a 9-0 lead 4:09 into the game – and eventually a 19-11 advantage with 5:49 left in the half – turn into a 29-25 halftime deficit, and they never led again after that despite controlling the majority of the first half against a team that shot just 12-of-35 from the field.  Westfield was actually limited to 26 percent (6-of-23) shooting in the third quarter while KSC shot 62 percent (8-of-13), but actually won the period 21-17 as the visiting Owls were doomed by 14 turnovers in the 10 minutes out of the locker room.

Keene State surrendered a 7-0 Westfield run right out of the break, in just 1:04, to fall into what at that point was a game-high 11-point hole (36-25), overall being outscored 25-6 in 6:41 of game action spanning halftime.  Durnford got KSC's first points of the second half with a layup at the 7:29 mark in the third and scored again to make it 40-31 about three minutes later, but Jess Gardner scored on Westfield's trip and Maddie Pond hit a three after a Keene miscue to make it a 14-point game.  It was a rare three-point make for the home team, who shot just 5-for-34 (15 percent) from long range overall.  KSC chipped away from there, getting within seven (45-38) on five points from Murray and two from Luizzi.  Westfield led 50-42 into the fourth, but Luizzi connected on two triples in the opening 2:18 of the fourth to quickly make it a four-point (52-48) game.  The home Owls pushed the lead back to eight with 4:37 remaining, but a layup from Rylee Burgess and triple by Murray less than a minute apart had Keene State within one possession at 58-55 with still 3:26 left.  KSC never scored after that, turning the ball over twice and missing their final four shots while being outscored 8-0 in that span.

Ironically, Keene State's lowest shooting percentage in a quarter was the lone one they won.  They had double-figure turnovers in the middle two quarters and allowed over 20 points in each while shooting only 1-for-10 from three.  Murray and Luizzi heated up from deep in the final quarter and KSC shot 5-for-11 from the field, but they made seven miscues and never got to the line in the last 10 minutes.  In fact, KSC shot just eight free throws in the game, making five.

Westfield, who gave up 81 points to KSC in a 14-point loss last season in Keene, won despite a 34 percent shooting performance overall due to a 34-21 advantage in points off turnovers and a 16-5 edge on the offensive glass.  Keene State actually won the rebounding battle 39-38, but was minus-13 at getting the ball back after their own miss (although Westfield missed 21 more shots in total and took 23 more).  Olivia Hadla led the host Owls with 17 points (7-20 FG, 3-12 3-PT) while Jordan Grant finished with the same total, making six of nine shots from the floor and all five free throws to go along with nine rebounds (seven offensive) and five assists.  Jordyn Lummus finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.  Westfield was picked third in the MASCAC preseason poll, behind Framingham State University (1st) and Bridgewater State University (2nd).
 
Inside the Paint

• KSC had 16 steals in the game, their most since recording 17 in a 70-52 win over Western Connecticut State University last February.  Prior to that contest, they had not recorded that many steals since doing so in the 2019 matchup in Westfield.
• Keene State won seven of the first nine in the series by an average of 15 points per game, but has now lost four out of their last five to Westfield, three by double-digits, including three straight at the Woodward Center.
• KSC committed 41 turnovers, their most since 2017 when they totaled 44 at Westfield, who subs five in and five out every minute and presses the entire game while employing a "Grinnell-style" offense, which is more or less predicated off shooting threes off forced turnovers.

Up Next

• The Owls head to the University of Southern Maine (0-1) for a very early Little East Conference matchup with the Huskies on Saturday, November 12 at 1:00 p.m.  USM opened their season with a 57-51 loss at the University of New England tonight.  Amy Fleming scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but the Huskies shot 33 percent and had 23 turnovers.  Southern Maine was picked seventh in the conference's preseason poll.
• Westfield, who went 15-12 and 8-4 in the MASCAC last year – losing to Bridgewater State 84-71 in the league semifinals – will host Plymouth State University (1-0) on the same day (1:00 p.m.).  The Panthers won last year's meeting 67-65, but finished 2-20.