ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Suffolk University scored the first eight points of the game while building a 16-point first quarter advantage and that wound up being enough, as the Rams went on to a 54-48 win over the Keene State College women's basketball team in the first game for both teams Friday afternoon at the Basketball Destinations St. Pete Classic, held at the McArthur Center on the campus of Division II Eckerd College.

Records

• Keene State:  4-4
• Suffolk:  8-1

How It Happened
Despite a fast start, the Rams were held nine points below their previous season-low point total and 21 points below their average offensive output per game in 2023-2024.  However, for KSC, it did not result in a victory due to a cold-shooting offensive performance in their first action since December 2.  The Owls shot just 27 percent overall and made 4-of-25 from distance, including 5-for-27 and 1-for-12 marks, respectively, in the second half to deny any chance of a comeback despite the Rams' offense dissolving as the game went on.  Suffolk led 23-11 after one quarter and 34-26 at halftime, as KSC chipped what had been a 16-point deficit (23-7) nine minutes in and 32-16 at the 5:17 mark of the second quarter to only eight by closing the first half on a 10-2 push that was capped by Aryanna Murray's three with 13 seconds to go.  The Owls shot 40 percent (6-for-15) in the period and made three of their seven tries from deep to get back in the game, and also cooled off Suffolk, who was 4-for-11 from the field in the second 10 minutes after a 56 percent (10-18) showing that included 3-of-6 from distance in the first.

The Rams never warmed back up, making just four field goals in the second half.  However, neither did the Owls, who never got closer than eight until there were nine seconds left in regulation.  Suffolk began pulling away again right out of the locker room, opening with six straight and 11 of the first 13 points over the opening 4:17 to restore a 43-28 advantage.  Much like the later stages of the second, Keene State did enough to hang around, as they made it 43-35 with 1:09 to go on the third following two Samantha Lee free throws.  Murray made it 45-37 with a jumper in the final 15 seconds before one free throw sent Suffolk into the final 10 minutes with a nine-point edge.

The free throw line was the Rams' friend in the fourth quarter, as all eight of their points (on 10 tries) came from the charity stripe, including five in the opening three minutes for a 51-37 lead with 7:03 remaining.  KSC chipped five points off their deficit over the next three minutes, making it a nine-point game on Valerie Luizzi's jumper (the first basket for either team in the quarter) with four minutes to go, but committed two turnovers and missed a jumper on their next three possessions with a chance to get closer.  The Rams then grabbed four offensive rebounds on a trip with two minutes to go and were fouled on the fourth, making one of two at the foul line for a 10-point lead.   Then, off another offensive board with 1:29 on the clock, made two more at the line to make it 54-42 to dash any hopes of a KSC comeback.  What also helped to dash those hopes was 22 offensive rebounds for Suffolk (of 49 total) including 15 (to the Owls' eight) in the second half.  Keene State scored the final six points on a three-point play from Avery Stewart with 1:11 to go and a trey from Jackie Alibrandi with nine seconds to go, a shot that was KSC's only long distance make outside of the second quarter.

Suffolk shot only 20 percent over the final three quarters, including making their final field goal of the game with 30 seconds left in the third, but their early hot start held up against the Owls, who were limited to 29 percent shooting or worse in three of four quarters.

The Rams got a game-best 15 points (5-14 FG, 5-7 FT), 13 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks from Amanda DeAngelis and 13 points from Madi Mahoney, who made 5-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-6 from deep.  Lauren Romito had 12 rebounds and seven points.

Brynn Rautiola (3-12 FG, 1-8 3-PT, 4-4 FT) was KSC's lone double-figure scorer with 11 points.  She added seven rebounds and two steals.  Murray had nine points, three assists, and two steals, while Stewart narrowly missed a double-double with nine points (4-8 FG, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds (six offensive), and two steals off the bench.

Inside the Paint

• KSC was outscored 20-13 off turnovers despite committing four fewer miscues (23-19) than Suffolk.
• The Rams have held Keene State to 50 points or fewer in each of the last two head-to-head meetings, including a 59-50 victory on November 8, 2019 in Boston.  KSC won the prior two meetings (in 1999 and an ECAC quarterfinal in 2010) by a combined 45 points.
• The Owls were slated to travel to Florida for a holiday break tournament at the same time last year, but travel issues denied KSC from getting to the Sunshine State, where they were slated to take on John Carroll University and Connecticut College.

Up Next

• Keene State takes on Grinnell College (Iowa) (7-4, 3-1 Midwest) tomorrow (Saturday, December 30) at 5:00 p.m.  The Pioneers fell to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll) 67-48 in their game tonight.
• Suffolk takes on UWSP (10-0) tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.