KEENE, N.H. – Six different Owls tallied double-figures as the Keene State College women's basketball team defeated Vermont State University Johnson, 98-24. The Owls' 74-point victory is the largest in program history since KSC beat Rivier University, 139-27, back on December 9, 1998.
Records
- Keene State: 2-4
- Vermont State Johnson: 0-8
Postgame Interview (Coach Boucher)
How it Happened
Keene State jumped out to a 12-0 start in the first four minutes of the first quarter, with
Avery Stewart leading the way with six of the points, while
Brynn Rautiola and
Valerie Luizzi each hit a three for the Owls. Isabel Akisson made the first basket for the Badgers with 5:55 remaining in the quarter, while KSC went on a 10-0 run over the next five minutes. Both teams traded baskets on their next possessions, which gave KSC a 24-4 lead heading into the second quarter.
Riann Fortin opened the scoring for the Badgers in the second quarter with a pair of free throws in the opening 55 seconds, but the Owls answered back with eight straight points over the next 2:27, with layups from
Samantha Lee and
Anna Brown and another three from Rautiola. After Kamryn Devero made a layup for the Badgers following Rautiola's three, KSC went on to shoot 4-for-7, including 4-for-6 from three, over their next six possessions across three minutes. Luizzi hit the first pair, followed by one from each Stewart and Rautiola. In the final 2:40 of the half, KSC went on a 10-1 run, with
Morgan Gillis scoring her first seven collegiate points for the Owls in her first game, along with
Kate Canavan scoring a three to give KSC a 53-9 lead heading into the half.
The Owls continued to hit their shots from beyond the arc to open the third, as in the opening 5:07 of the third, KSC shot 5-for-7 from the field, which included 4-for-5 from three. KSC opened the quarter on an 11-point scoring run, coming from threes from Rautiola,
Ruby Dasaro, and
Angel Pillsbury to go with a layup from Luizzi. Fortin converted on a layup for the Badgers to stop the Owls' scoring streak that spanned 21 points since the Badgers' previous basket in the second quarter, but Luizzi responded right back with a three on the other end for KSC. The Owls went on a 13-3 run the remainder or the quarter, with
Lilly Krysinski making a pair of free throws, a three from Pillsbury, and eight points (including two three-pointers) from
Kiley Bundy to give KSC an 80-14 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
Both teams opened with three points in the opening minute of play coming from Pillsbury hitting her third three, and Forest Skillman converting an and-one for the Badgers. After a pair of free throws made from KSC, both teams once again traded baskets later in the quarter, as Pillsbury and Faith Benjamin scored on back-to-back possessions with 6:41 left to play. KSC outscored Johnson 11-5 for the remainder of the quarter, with Krysinski scoring four, Gillis hitting a three, and Canavan and Bundy recording two apiece to give KSC a 98-24 victory.
Inside the Paint
- With the win, KSC moved to 2-0 in the all-time series between the two schools, having scored 98 both times against the Badgers, while holding them to 34.5 points on average.
- Six different Owls scored in double-figures, with Luizzi leading the way with 16, followed by 14 from each Rautiola and Bundy. Pillsbury scored 11, while Stewart and Gillis each scored 10.
- KSC's 23 steals as a team were the most in a game for the Owls in over 11 years, as KSC last recorded that many when they had 28 steals against Green Mountain in their 89-36 victory back on November 15, 2023.
- Luizzi led KSC with four steals on the day, with Bundy, Canavan, and Brown each tallying three, as well.
- Krysinski and Gillis each recorded a pair of blocks for a game-high in the contest. The Owls' seven blocks were the most in a game since March 3, 2021, at UMass-Dartmouth when KSC recorded 10.
- KSC shot 35-for-64 (54.7%) from the field, including 48.6% (17-for-35) from three, compared to 9-for-47 (19.1%) from the field and 14.3% (2-for-14) from three for the Badgers.
Up Next
Keene State heads to Norwich University for the Ed Hockenbury Invitational for their next two games. KSC will first play Middlebury College on Friday, December 6, at 7:00 PM, and either Norwich or Wellesley College on Saturday, December 7, at a time TBD depending on the outcome of their game against Middlebury.
Vermont State Johnson next plays at home against Vermont State Lyndon on Saturday, December 7, at 1:00 PM
