KEENE, N.H. – After a slow start in the opening quarter, the Keene State College women's basketball team was able to pull within six early in the second half, but the University of Southern Maine Huskies proved why they are receiving votes for the d3hoops.com top 25 poll as the Huskies pulled away and defeated the Owls 71-47.
Records
- Keene State: 8-4 (2-1 LEC)
- Southern Maine: 10-1 (3-0 LEC)
Postgame Interview (Coach Boucher)
How it Happened
USM started the scoring 1:36 into the contest with a layup, but KSC answered right back with a three from
Brynn Rautiola to give the Owls what would be their only lead of the day. Dakota Shipley answered back with her first of three threes on the day to retake the lead, but KSC tied the game up at five after another basket by Rautiola with 5:43 in the first. The rest of the quarter it was all USM as the Huskies went on a 16-0 run the rest of the opening quarter to take a 21-6 lead into the second.
The second quarter was the lone quarter on the day where KSC outscored USM, where the Owls scored 21 to 16 from the Huskies. USM opened the scoring in the second on a 7-2 run over 3:02 to take a 28-7 lead over KSC. The Owls responded on a 14-4 run over the next 4:09 of action led by eight straight points from
Kiley Bundy. The rest of the opening half the Huskies tallied five more, but Rautiola also scored five more for the Owls over the same span as USM took a 37-26 lead into the second half.
Rautiola and
Valerie Luizzi combined for seven points across the Owls' first four possessions of the second half, while USM scored just one basket and KSC pulled within six 2:08 into the third. Over the next four minutes both teams traded five points with
Bella Schultz-Mitchell scoring all five for the Owls to keep the lead at six for the Huskies. Unfortunately for the Owls, USM went on another scoring run as the Huskies scored 13 points in a row the rest of the quarter until Rautiola made a layup to close out the third and USM took a 57-40 lead into the final 10 minutes of action.
Avery Stewart cut the lead down to 15 with a basket to open the scoring on the Owls first possession of the fourth, but over the next five minutes, USM went on a 12-2 run to increase their lead to 25 with five minutes remaining in the contest. The rest of the game neither offense got going as five total points were scored and the Huskies took home a 71-47 victory.
Inside the Paint
- KSC falls to 14-52 in the all-time series between the two teams, with KSC having lost the three most recent contests against the Huskies.
- Rautiola led the Owls on the attack with 21 points on 9-for-16 (56.3%) from the field and 3-for-5 (60%) from three as she played in all 35 minutes of the contest until being subbed out in the final five minutes.
- Stewart led the Owls with seven rebounds, while Schultz-Mitchell was close behind with six to go with eight points over 24 minutes as she has seen her role increase.
- Jaycie Christopher led the Huskies with 25 points and nine rebounds in the contest.
- USM's starters accounted for 67 of 71 points on the day, compared to 37 of 47 points coming from KSC starters.
Up Next
Keene State returns to action on the road at Plymouth State University on Tuesday, January 6, at 5:00 PM.
USM also plays their next game on Tuesday, January 6 but at home against Rhode Island College at 5:30 PM.
