KEENE, N.H. – Down by as many as 13 points, the Keene State College women's basketball team was able to cut Eastern Connecticut State University's lead to just one with 24 seconds remaining in the fourth, but the Owls were unable to come back in the end, as they fell to the Warriors, 65-61.

Records

• Keene State: 9-12 (5-7 LEC)
• Eastern Connecticut: 9-12 (8-4 LEC)

How it Happened

KSC opened the game by scoring on their first two possessions with Brynn Rautiola and Valerie Luizzi each making a layup. Unfortunately for the Owls, the Warriors also started out hot, as they scored on their first four possessions as ECSU jumped out to a 11-4 lead in the opening three minutes. Over the next four minutes, both teams traded four points apiece, with Lilly Krysinski scoring all four for the Owls. With 1:53 remaining in the first, Rautiola hit her first three of the game to cut ECSU's lead to three, but Kya Mayo answered back for the Warriors with a three to take a 20-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
The Warriors opened the scoring in the second quarter by scoring on their first three possessions over the first 2:06 of the quarter with two of their three baskets coming because of offensive boards they put right back up and in for points to increase their lead to 13. Ruby Dasaro recorded the first three points for KSC in the second with a free throw and a layup shortly after to cut the lead to 10 with 5:33 left in the opening half. Less than a minute later, Rautiola picked up a steal on defense and then made a layup on the other end to cut the lead to eight, but Marissa Nudd answered back with a three just 15 seconds later. Another steal from Rautiola lead to a layup on the other end from Avery Stewart shortly after, but once again, Nudd answered back with another basket for the Warriors shortly after, which kept the deficit to 11 for the Owls. In the closing minutes of the first half, Dasaro and Rautiola each made a layup, while Taylor Salato scored following another offensive rebound for the Warriors, to make the score 33-24 in the Warriors' favor heading into the second half.
 
After the Warriors outscored the Owls 5-4 in the opening three minutes of the second to increase their lead to ten, KSC responded with six points over the ensuing 3:20 of play to cut ECSU's lead to four. Rautiola scored the first two of the six points with a layup, and Dasaro scored the other four with her own layup, and by making both free throws. On the Warriors' ensuing possession, they continued to take advantage of offensive rebounds, as Nudd grabbed another offensive board and scored for the ECSU. The rest of the quarter, Nudd and Rautiola scored back-and-forth, as they scored four points apiece the rest of the quarter. In the closing seconds, Liv Cassesse hit a jumper at the buzzed for ECSU to put them ahead 46-38 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
 
Both teams piled on the points in the final quarter, for a total of 42 points between the two teams, as both teams shot over 50% from the field. In the opening 2:35, KSC cut the lead to four, as they outscored ECSU 8-4, with Rautiola hitting a pair of threes to go with a layup from Bundy. The Warriors responded back with a run of their own over the next three minutes as they increased the lead back to 10 after scoring nine to just a three pointer from Luizzi for the Owls. As the shot clock was expiring with 4:14 remaining in the fourth, Samantha Lee hit her second three for the Owls on the year (2-for-5 on the season), and then both teams traded layups on ensuing possessions as the lead was cut to seven with 3:16 remaining. Neither team scored the next few minutes, until Luizzi scored six straight points, from a three and an and-one on back-to-back possessions to cut the Warrior's lead to one with just 24 seconds remaining. KSC tried to trap Nudd with the ball to cause another ECSU turnover, but they fouled her, and she hit the two free throws as a result to increase the lead back to three with 16 seconds remaining. On the Owls' next possession, the Warriors prevented the Owls from getting a good look at a three to tie the game up by intentionally fouling Lee with four seconds remaining. After Lee made the first free throw, she intentionally missed the second, for a chance at hitting a field goal to tie the game up, but she crossed the line too early and was called for a lane violation. KSC was unable to get a steal on the ensuing ECSU possession as Salato was fouled with less than a second remaining and she hit both her free throws to seal the 65-61 win over the Owls.
 
Inside the Paint

• With the loss, the Owls fall to 12-51 in the all-time series between the two schools, having lost 14 of the 15 most recent games.
• The Owls have not been able to defeat the Warriors at Spaulding Gymnasium in over 15 years, when they last won, 59-56, back on February 9, 2010.
• Rautiola once again led KSC with a team-high 23 points, as she shot 9-for-21 (42.9%) from the field, and 3-for-9 (33.3%) from three and hit both her free throws.
• Dasaro and Luizzi also tacked on 11 points apiece with Dasaro going 5-for-6 (83.3%) at the line, and Luizzi going 4-for-6 (66.6%) from the field and 2-for-3 (66.6%) from three.
• KSC recorded a season-low seven turnovers in the contest, resulting in just five points off turnovers for the Warriors, while the Owls scored 10 points off the 16 turnovers from ECSU.

 
Up Next


Keene State hits the road for their next matchup, as they travel to take on Western Connecticut State University on Saturday, February 15, at 12:30 PM.
Eastern Connecticut's next game is their senior day at home on Saturday, February 15, at 3:00 PM, as they will host Vermont State Castleton University.