KEENE, N.H. – A strong fourth quarter with a balanced scoring attack for the Keene State College women's basketball team helped the Owls outscore Eastern Connecticut State University 20-9 in the final quarter for the late comeback win, defeating the Warriors 62-56.

Records

• Keene State: 10-4 (4-1 LEC)
• Eastern Connecticut State: 5-8 (2-2 LEC)

Highlights
Postgame Interview (Coach Boucher)...coming soon
Postgame Interview (Valerie Luizzi)

How it Happened
KSC came out of the gates hot as the Owls scored on three of their first five possessions with Brynn Rautiola hitting a pair of field goals and Avery Stewart making a field goal to take a 6-0 lead over the opening three minutes. ECSU responded by scoring on two of three possessions to pull within a pair, but the Owls increased their lead back to seven with Valerie Luizzi hitting a three and Ruby Dasaro making a layup on the ensuing possession halfway through the first. Over the next three and a half minutes, ECSU took the lead for the first time in the contest after scoring on six consecutive possessions for a 16-13 lead. In the last minute of the opening quarter Rautiola traded a basket with Liv Cassesse for ECSU as the Warriors took a 18-15 lead into the second.
 
Following allowing the Warriors to make a run at the end of the first quarter, the Owls took control in the second, outscoring ECSU 21-12. KSC opened the second by scoring on four consecutive possessions by going on a 10-2 run. Stewart opened the scoring with a three for the Owls, followed by a layup from each Dasaro and Rautiola, and rounded out by Nicole Norton assisting Kiley Bundy on her first three of the game to put KSC back up with 7:36 remaining in the second. After Luizzi hit a three to increase the lead to eight halfway through the quarter, ECSU scored eight in a row over the following four minutes to draw even at 28-28. In the final minute and a half of the first half, the Owls went on an 8-2 run with Luizzi and Bundy hitting a three and Luizzi stealing the ensuing inbound from ECSU and scoring to give KSC a 36-30 lead heading into halftime.
 
As hot as the Owls' attack was in the second quarter, it fell flat during the third quarter as the Warriors outscored KSC 17-6. ECSU scored on four of their first five offensive possessions of the second half for a 9-0 run over 3:24 to go up by three. KSC retook the lead over the next 1:30 as Dasaro made a layup and Stewart's steal led to Luizzi's field goal to go up by one. ECSU responded right back by going on an 8-2 run the remainder of the third to take a 47-42 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.
 
The Warriors increased their lead to seven to open the fourth quarter on their opening possession, but after that, it was all KSC as the Owls responded right back by scoring on their next five possessions to take a six-point lead. Luizzi and Stewart both converted and-one opportunities, while Norton and Savanna Scali both made a field goal and Luizzi tacked on another three to put KSC up 55-49 with 6:55 left to play. Marissa Nudd made a three for the Warriors to stop the Owls' scoring run, but Rautiola scored three points for KSC a minute later to increase the lead back to six with 3:44 remaining. The Warriors pulled within two points with 1:03 remaining as they tried to force the game into overtime or steal a win late in the game, but Rautiola iced the game down the stretch as she tallied four more points and the Warriors were unable to hit another shot, giving KSC the 62-56 win.
 
Inside the Paint

• KSC improves to 14-51 in the all-time series between the two teams as the Owls have won the two most recent meetings for the first time since 2005.
• Luizzi led all scorers on the day with a game-high 19 points on 50% shooting (7-for-14) along with 50% from three (4-for-8) and a perfect 1-for-1 at the line.
• Luizzi nearly recorded a double-double as she finished with her season-high and team-high nine boards, while also having a team-high three steals, and tying for a team-high three assists.
• Luizzi moved into 20th all-time in program scoring with her 19 points, moving to 1,029 career points, passing Karen Crowley '81, who had 1,020 points.
• Rautiola was close behind Luizzi with 17 points to go with her six rebounds and two assists.
• Rautiola moved into ninth in program history for scoring with her 17 points, moving to 1,250 career points, passing Patty Rauch '87, who had 1,245 career points.
• Stewart and Dasaro each tallied eight points apiece, while Stewart grabbed six rebounds and had a pair of assists in her 38 minutes, and Dasaro grabbed five boards and had three assists in her 29 minutes.
• Bundy set a new career-high for minutes played for the second consecutive game as she played in 39 minutes, only missing one minute.
• Norton and Scali were the only two Owls to come off the bench in the contest as they recorded 16 and 11 minutes of action, respectively.

 
Up Next


Keene State hits the road for their fourth game in eight games as the Owls next play on Saturday, January 10, at 1:00 PM at Rhode Island College.
Eastern Connecticut next plays at Plymouth State University on Saturday, January 10, at 12:00 PM.