BOSTON, Mass. – The Keene State College women's basketball team turned a 23-point second quarter deficit and an 11-point hole through three quarters into a 58-55 lead with 4:05 to go, but then gave up then next nine points in a row to turn what might have been an uplifting victory into a tough 66-61 loss to the University of Massachusetts-Boston in Little East Conference action Saturday at the Clark Athletic Center.

Records

• Keene State:  3-10, 1-6 LEC
• UMass-Boston:  9-8, 2-5 LEC

How It Happened
A 24 percent three-point shooting team on the season entering the game who had shot above 32 percent from deep in just one game, the Beacons made six of their first 13 tries from beyond the arc while running out to a 39-16 lead in the second quarter and then two at the most critical of times late as they pulled out their second league win of the season.  UMass-Boston saw every bit and more of their 23-point lead vanish as KSC opened the fourth quarter with a huge 14-0 run to turn an 11-point deficit into a 58-55 lead, but Paige Ollivierre and Meg Dixon canned two huge triples on back-to-back possessions to put the Beacons back in front by three again.  The duo was more or less the entirety of the home team's offense, combining for 41 points on 14-for-24 shooting including 9-of-16 from deep.  The rest of the team shot 9-for-28 (32 percent) and missed all four threes they took.  UMass-Boston was held without a point for the opening 6:46 of the final quarter as KSC made five of eight shots from the floor and forced five turnovers to mount their comeback bid.  However, the Owls' offense stalled, and they then scored just three points after taking their second lead of the game (the other was 3-0), two of which came with two seconds left after they fell behind by seven. 

KSC had gotten as close as three in the third quarter on an Aryanna Murray triple at the 6:03 mark, but then tumbled back into a double-digit hole again by the end of it when Dixon drilled a three in the final seconds.  The Owls had another punch in them, though, starting the fourth with jumpers from Murray and Elizabeth Gonyea to get within seven (55-48) just 1:25 in.  Layups from Julia Dessart and Murray midway through the quarter helped KSC tie the game (55-55), and after Avery Stewart grabbed the board of a missed jumper by Alexah Potter, Murray found Durnford cutting to the basket for a layup who was fouled while giving the Owls the lead and made the ensuing free throw.  Dixon then missed two free throws on UMass-Boston's next possession, giving Keene State the lead and the ball with 3:30 remaining.  However, empty trips hurt the Owls down the stretch.  Ollivierre tied the game at 58 with a three for the Beacons at the 3:13 mark, and after a KSC turnover, Dixon drained another three to give UMB the lead back.  The Owls had two chances to tie to answer, but misfired on two tries from distance and then found themselves trailing 63-58 after Potter's layup at the 2:01 mark.  Down five, Keene State missed their next three shots and turned the ball over on a fourth possession over the next minute and a half.  They were then forced to foul, and although the Beacons shot a dismal 11-for-25 (44 percent) at the free throw line, they made three of four in the final 23 seconds to post their first league home win of the season after three losses.

For the Owls, it was another case of inconsistent offense that dropped them to 0-7 on the road this season.  KSC started the game hot, shooting 50 percent in the opening quarter, but then sunk to 6-for-21 (29 percent) in the second 10 minutes.  They heated up again as the second half went on, but then turned cold in the final minutes.  What seemed as though might have been an uplifting comeback victory initially was not looking good, as the Beacons used a 25-5 run to take a 29-14 lead after one, marking their highest scoring quarter of the season.  Murray opened the scoring with a three 43 seconds in and Durnford tied it at seven with a jumper at the 7:21 mark, but the Owls were then outscored 18-1 over the next 4:10 to sink into a 25-8 deficit.  KSC made no real dent to start the second quarter, either, scoring just two points in the opening 6:17.  Fortunately, the Beacons cooled off substantially themselves, scoring just four points in that span.  However, Ollivierre made threes on consecutive possessions midway through the period to provide a game-high 39-16 lead with 4:24 left.  In desparate need of a run, the Owls did string one together to close the half – an important one – scoring 13 in a row in the final 3:42 to trail 39-29 at halftime.  Eleven of the points in that stretch were scored by first years Luizzi and Lilly Krysinski.

Keene State stayed hot out of the locker room, opening on a 9-2 push to get within three and expand their burst overall to 22-2 dating back to the first half, but three misses and two turnovers over the next four minutes quelled their momentum and allowed UMB to restore a 10-point lead late in the quarter.  That advantage did not last either, but ultimately the home team's second best shooting effort of the season and season-high matching nine threes was just enough to pull out a win.

Murray finished with 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting while adding three assists and two steals.  Durnford added 11 points (5-9 FG, 1-1 FT) and seven rebounds, while Luizzi added 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting and four rebounds.

Dixon's double-double led UMass-Boston, as she finished with 24 points (8-15 FG, 4-8 3-PT, 4-9 FT), 11 rebounds, and four assists.  Ollivierre had 17 points (6-9 FG, 5-8 3-PT), four boards, two blocks, and two steals.

Inside the Paint

• KSC shot 5-of-19 (26 percent) and made just two of their final 11 tries from deep.
• The Owls have not beaten UMB in consecutive games since the 2015-2016 season.  They were trying today after rolling to a 52-41 victory at the Clark Athletic Center in the final regular season game of the season last February.

Up Next

• KSC has a pair of league home games this week, beginning Wednesday (January 18) against Castleton University (10-5, 3-3 LEC) at 5:30 p.m.  CU has lost two of three.  The Owls are a game out of the final playoff spot and in big need of wins, as they do not currently have a tiebreaker against either UMass-Boston or the University of Southern Maine, both of whom are just ahead of them in the standings.
• The Beacons visit Southern Maine (4-10, 2-5 LEC) on the same night at 5:30 p.m.  USM has lost four straight and scored 39, 45, and 39 points in their last three outings including a 48-39 loss at Western Connecticut State University today in which they trailed by as many as 16 points.