KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College women's basketball team entered the second half down 15, after only scoring 20 points in the opening half against the University of Southern Maine. In the second, the Owls were unable to dig themselves out of the halftime deficit, as they fell to the Huskies 58-47.
Records
- Keene State: 7-11 (3-6 LEC)
- Southern Maine: 10-8 (6-3 LEC)
Highlights
Postgame Interview (Coach Boucher)
How it Happened
USM jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first four minutes of play, but KSC pulled within two with 5:06 remaining in the first from a layup from
Ruby Dasaro. Both teams traded threes over the next two possessions with Campbell Doughy scoring for the Huskies and
Brynn Rautiola hitting her first three of the day for the Owls. KSC was able to pull even with a layup from
Samantha Lee with 3:27 left in the opening quarter, but it did not last long, as Emma Stred grabbed an offensive rebound on the Huskies' next possession and scored to put USM back up by two. Both teams traded baskets twice the remainder of the first, as USM took a 14-11 lead into the second quarter.
USM continued their hot start in the second quarter, as they tallied 21 points in the 10 minutes, more than KSC recorded in the entire first half. Seven of the 21 points came in the opening 1:05 of the second, as USM scored on their first three offensive possessions to increase their lead to 10.
Kiley Bundy stopped the Huskies scoring with a three, but both teams traded baskets to make the score 23-16 with seven minutes left in the half. Over the next 5:45, USM scored nine straight points to increase their lead back to 32-16, as they doubled up KSC.
Avery Stewart and
Lilly Krysinski both made a basket in the final minute, but Francesca Ramsdell killed any momentum that KSC was looking to take into the half with a three at the buzzer to give USM a 35-20 lead heading into halftime.
Both teams had a slow start to open the second half, with KSC outscoring USM 2-1 in the opening four minutes of the third. As the quarter reached the halfway point, Dakota Shipley scored five points for USM in 32 seconds with a basket after an offensive board, she responded right back to a three from Stewart with a three of her own. Over the next three minutes, KSC scored six straight points from Krysinski going 3-for-4 at the line, and Bundy hitting another three. Krysinski tallied another pair of points with 1:39 remaining in the third, answering right back to a jump shot made by Maria Degifico for the Huskies. Rautiola scored five points, compared to four from USM, over the next 1:12 to cut the Huskies' lead to nine, but USM once again hit a three right before the buzzer to make the score 50-38 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
Liz Cote picked up right where she left off at the end of the third with her three, by adding another three to open the scoring in the fourth, 3:07 into the quarter. Neither team scored until two minutes later, when Rautiola made a layup, followed by a three from Bundy as the Owls looked to gain momentum for a late run, but Degifico's three right after Bundy's halted any momentum KSC was looking to make. The Owls were unable to get much going the rest of the contest, as they outscored USM just 4-2 in the final three minutes, giving the Huskies a 58-47 win.
Inside the Paint
- With the loss, KSC falls to 14-51 in the all-time series between the two schools.
- Rautiola was the only scorer to log double-digits in the contest, as she tallied 12 points.
- Bundy and Krysinski were closely behind with nine points apiece, with Bundy going 3-for-5 (60%) from three.
- USM capitalized on their second-chance points, scoring 14, to just five from the Owls.
- Shipley had a game-high 13 rebounds, to go with her nine points for the Huskies.
Up Next
Keene State hits the road for their next contest, as they win look to improve to 2-0 on the season against Plymouth State University, on Wednesday, January 29, at 5:00 PM.
Southern Maine also next plays on Wednesday, January 29, but at 5:30 PM, as they will host Rhode Island College.
