TROY, N.Y. – The Keene State College women's basketball team came into the weekend 2-0 winning their past two games by an average margin of 31 points, but despite their early lead over RPI, the Engineers mounted a comeback to hand the Owls the first loss of the season, 68-64.

Records

• Keene State: 2-1
• RPI: 2-1

How it Happened


The first quarter of action was both the highest scoring combined quarter of action on the day, along with the largest margin of points favoring either team across the four quarters as 41 total points were scored, with the Owls leading by five, 23-18, after the first. After RPI scored on the opening possession of the contest, KSC went on a 12-0 scoring run over the next four minutes with Valerie Luizzi hitting back-to-back threes, Brynn Rautiola converting an and-one, and three points from Ruby Dasaro to round out the 12 straight for KSC. RPI responded with a three to cut the lead to nine, but after Sydney Cassidy made a free throw and Dasaro converted on an and-one, the Owls went ahead by 11 for what wound up being their largest lead of the day with 4:11 remaining in the first. RPI went on an 8-2 run the next three minutes to cut the lead to five. In the final minute of the first, the teams each scored on two of their final three possessions apiece as Rautiola hit a three and Dasaro picked up a steal and made the layup, while RPI also scored five as KSC took the 23-18 lead into the second.
 
Luizzi opened the scoring for the Owls in the second quarter with five points, both coming after she grabbed a rebound for KSC, while Niamh Gendron scored a layup for RPI, and the Owls went ahead by eight with 7:51 remaining in the opening half. Over a 1:42 span shortly after, RPI scored on three of five possessions as the Engineers scored eight to tie the game up at 28 apiece with 5:22 remaining in the second. The Owls responded right back with scoring seven across a span of three of four possessions with Luizzi hitting her third three of the quarter, followed by Dasaro and Lilly Krysinski both making layups to jump ahead 35-28 with 2:52 remaining. Neither team scored over the next 2:33 until RPI scored on their final two baskets of the first half to cut the Owls' lead to 35-33 heading into halftime.
 
Avery Stewart opened the scoring in the second half with a layup and a three shortly after for KSC, while Callie Flynn made a pair of layups for the Engineers in the opening two minutes of the second half. Over the next 3:10 of game time, RPI went on a 7-2 scoring run, with Stewart scoring the lone basket for the Owls, while RPI pulled ahead 44-42 with 4:50 remaining in the third for their first lead since the opening possession of the contest. The Owls answered right back with a three from Stewart for her eighth point of the quarter, to put KSC ahead by one with 4:26 remaining. The rest of the third quarter the Engineers outscored the Owls 9-6 as RPI scored on five of their final six possessions, while KSC scored on three of their final seven possessions with Rautiola scoring three layups as RPI took a 53-51 lead into the final quarter.
 
KSC outscored RPI 6-4 over the opening 3:46 of the fourth with Dasaro making a pair of layups and Nicole Norton scoring her first basket of the day, but after the Owls tied the contest up at 57 apiece, RPI scored on the ensuing possession to retake the lead. RPI scored on their next two possessions as Rautiola scored a basket for the Owls and the Engineers jumped ahead with five with 4:42 remaining to play. Following the Engineers going ahead by five, the Owls had four shots missed on their ensuing possession as KSC grabbed three offensive rebounds, but it did not equate to any points as RPI scored on the other end of the floor right after to go ahead by seven. Over the next 3:26, neither team scored for eight consecutive combined possessions until Cassidy converted on a pair of free throws to pull within five with 43 seconds remaining. Dasaro stole the ball on the ensuing inbound and was fouled, but she only converted one of two as the Owls pulled within four with 38 seconds left. The Owls were unable to stop RPI on their second to last possession as they scored to jump back ahead by six and Rautiola's layup with three seconds remaining left not enough time on the clock for the Owls comeback as KSC fell 68-64.
 
Inside the Paint

• With the loss, KSC falls to 8-7 in the all-time series between the two teams as the Engineers spanned the five-game win streak by the Owls in the series.
• Rautiola led the Owls with 16 points on the day, while Siena Smith led RPI with 17 points.
• Dasaro finished the day with 15, while also recording six rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals.
• Luizzi shot 5-9 from the field, including 4-6 from three to go with her seven rebounds and three assists.
• Stewart logged a game-high three steals to go with her 4-5 from the field and 2-2 from three for 10 points.
• KSC had 17 turnovers on the day, compared to 22 from RPI with the Owls scoring 26 points off turnovers to 22 for the Engineers.

 
Up Next


Keene State hits the road for their second of four contests in a row on the road as the Owls travel to take on Dean College on Tuesday, November 18, at 5:00 PM.
RPI also plays on Tuesday, November 18, at 5:00 PM for their next game as the Engineers host Williams College.