KEENE, N.H. – Despite Brynn Rautiola breaking the single season scoring record for the Keene State College women's basketball team with her 24 first half points, the Owls were unable to hold off Rhode Island College's second half comeback as the Anchorwomen spoiled the Owls' senior day.

Records

• Keene State: 17-8 (11-5 LEC)
• Rhode Island College: 20-5 (14-2 LEC)

How it Happened


The scoring in the contest had a slow start as RIC jumped out to a 7-3 lead over the opening four minutes of the game as Avery Stewart made one free throw and Brynn Rautiola made a pair to start the scoring for the Owls. Over the two minutes, RIC increased their lead to nine as the Anchorwomen went on a 9-4 run with Rautiola and Ruby Dasaro hitting a pair of free throws for KSC to try to hang with RIC early in the contest. Rautiola pulled KSC within three as she converted a pair of and-ones on back-to-back possessions, but RIC increased the lead back to six on the ensuing possession from a three from Jaina Yekelchik with 2:53 remaining in the first. The rest of the way in the first quarter the Owls attack started to click as KSC scored on their final seven possessions to go on a 17-3 run to go ahead by as many as 10 over RIC. Rautiola led the Owls scoring 12 of the 17 points, including 10 points in a row over four possessions, while Dasaro tacked on a layup and Bella Schultz-Mitchell hit a three to round out the scoring, giving the Owls a 30-22 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
The second quarter for the Owls was a completely different story after scoring 17 points over 1:49, as KSC was held to just six points over the 10 minutes of the second quarter, but on the upside, RIC only scored 12, giving KSC a three-point halftime lead. RIC pulled within three after a layup and three to open the second quarter, but KSC responded with a pair of baskets of their own as Dasaro and Sydney Cassidy each made a field goal to increase the lead back to seven for the Owls. Both teams traded a pair of points over the next few minutes as Rautiola hit a pair of free throws for the Owls to set the new single season scoring record with point number 493 on the first three throw, surpassing the previous record of 492 points that stood for 39 years, set by Patty Rauch from the 1986-1987 season. The rest of the three minutes of the opening half RIC tacked on five more points cutting the Owls' lead to 36-34 heading into halftime.
 
The Owls rebounded from their slow second quarter by scoring on three of their first four possessions of the third quarter as Cassidy and Dasaro each made a basket and Valerie Luizzi hit a three to cap the Owls' 7-4 scoring run over the first three minutes of the third. RIC continued to apply the pressure on the Owls as they responded with a 10-5 run despite a layup from Rautiola and a three from Luizzi as the Anchorwomen tied the game up at 48 apiece with 4:04 remaining in the third quarter. The rest of the quarter the Owls went scoreless as the Anchorwomen scored 11 more points the rest of the way, making it 14 consecutive points as RIC took a 59-48 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the regular season.
 
RIC opened the fourth quarter cold, allowing for the Owls to pull within three as Luizzi tallied eight points coming from a pair of threes and two free throws to cut the score to 59-56 with six minutes remaining in the contest. Over the next few minutes both teams traded baskets back-and-forth as the Owls were unable to get within two points as every time KSC got close, RIC pulled ahead. With 2:53 remaining the Owls pulled within a pair as Nicole Norton and Rautiola made field goals, while RIC added three points, but after Rautiola's basket, Shalyn Smith hit a pair of free throws to extend the Anchorwomen's lead back to four. After Rautiola added a free throw with 1:26 remaining, the Owls were unable to pull even on a shot clock violation on their next possession leading to Smith hitting another two free throws to go up five with 20 seconds remaining following the intentional foul. With nine seconds remaining the Owls had some hope as Rautiola converted the and-one to pull within a pair, but RIC hit their two free throws on the ensuing possession tacked on another late free throws as the Owls fell to RIC 69-64.
 
Inside the Paint

• KSC falls to 28-34 in the all-time series against RIC, having lost the 17 most recent contests.
• Rautiola led the Owls with 32 points, tying her season-high as she shot 9-for-17 (52.9%) from the field and 13-for-14 (92.9%) from the line to go with tying her career-high with the game-high six steals.
• Luizzi recorded 14 points to go with her team-high six rebounds in the contest.
• Dasaro finished the game with eight points to go with her game-high five assists and three steals, bringing her season total to 76 steals, the fourth most in a single season in program history.
• KSC capitalized on the 26 Anchorwomen turnovers, scoring 24 points off turnovers, while RIC scored 18 points off 17 turnovers from the Owls.

 
Up Next

Keene State clinched the No. 3 seed and will host No. 6 Eastern Connecticut State University for their next matchup in the LEC Quarterfinals on Wednesday, February 25, at 5:00 PM
RIC clinches the No. 2 seed and will host the winner of the KSC and ECSU game for their next contest in the LEC Semifinals on Friday, February 27, at 6:00 PM.