KEENE, N.H. – In a back-and-forth matchup in the Little East Conference Quarterfinal that featured 12 lead changes, the No. 3 Keene State College women's basketball team held on in the end against the No. 6 Eastern Connecticut State Warriors, 60-54, thanks to 18 points from Ruby Dasaro and 16 points from Brynn Rautiola for the Owls.

Records

• Keene State: 18-8 (11-5 LEC)
• Eastern Connecticut State: 9-17 (6-10 LEC)

Highlights
Postgame Interview (Coach Boucher)
Postgame Interview (Ruby Dasaro)

How it Happened
Of the 12 lead changes, nine came in the first quarter as both teams traded blows across the first 10 minutes of action. The Owls scored on their first two possessions of the game to take a 5-0 lead as Sydney Cassidy's offensive rebound led to Avery Stewart's opening basket, followed by Ruby Dasaro assisting Valerie Luizzi on the three. Over the next two minutes, ECSU answered back with seven straight points to take the lead for the first time on the day, but an and-one from Rautiola on the ensuing possession gave the Owls the lead right back. Both teams combined to score on two of their next three possessions as they kept trading baskets with Rautiola assisting Luizzi on a field goal and then Stewart assisting Rautiola for a three to take a 13-11 lead halfway through the opening quarter. Marissa Nudd regained the lead for the Warriors with five points over the next two and a half minutes, but KSC responded back again with five points, coming from a layup from Dasaro and a three from Nicole Norton to retake the lead. The rest of the opening quarter, ECSU scored a pair of baskets, while Kiley Bundy scored one for the Owls as the teams headed into the second tied 20-20.
 
The scoring slowed down in the second quarter as ECSU outscored the Owls 13-12 heading into the half. Bella Schultz-Mitchell opened the scoring in the second quarter for the Owls with a layup, but the Warriors responded with scoring on back-to-back possessions to retake the lead shortly after. Both teams traded points and the Warriors increased their lead to six with 3:35 remaining in the half, but thanks to a 7-2 run from the Owls where Bundy hit a three, and Rautiola and Dasaro each made layups to pull within a goal heading into the half.
 
The Owls opened the second half on a 13-4 run with Dasaro leading the way, scoring six of the 13 points, to go with a three from Stewart, and two points from each Rautiola and Cassidy over the opening half of the third quarter to go up eight. Both teams traded three points apiece over the next few minutes, but in the final 2:40 in the third, ECSU utilized their second chance opportunities by scoring after grabbing offensive boards to pull within a pair heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.
 
The Owls started to pull away late in the final quarter where only 20 points were combined between the two teams. Nudd made a free throw over the opening four minutes of the final quarter, and it was not until there was under six minutes remaining where KSC scored as Dasaro scored a layup on back-to-back possessions to increase the lead back to five with 4:53 left on the clock. The scoring started to add up as ECSU outscored the Owls 7-5 over the next minute and a half, pulling within three with 2:32 left in regulation. After the scoring run by both teams, the offenses went flat as the Owls held on the rest of the way and tacked on three more points to defeat the Warriors in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
 
Inside the Paint

• KSC improves to 16-51 in the all-time series against the Warriors, as the Owls have won four in a row for the first time in the series, dating back to last year's quarterfinal win against the Warriors, to go with the season sweep and tonight's victory.
• Dasaro led the Owls on the attack with 18 points, to go with her second double-double of the season and second of her collegiate career from her career-high 12 rebounds.
• To go with her tied for a game-high three assists, Dasaro also recorded a game-high four assists, increasing her season total to 80 as she currently sits in fourth place for the most steals in a single season in program history.
• Rautiola was close behind Dasaro with 16 points on the day as she increases her program single season scoring record to 518 points on the season, while also tacking on eight rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals.
• With Luizzi's steal in the win, it brings her season total to 63, which ties Stephanie D'Annolfo (2015-2016 season) for the 11th most in a single season in program history.
• KSC scored 19 points off the Warriors' 26 turnovers, while ECSU scored 11 points off the Owls' 11 turnovers. The Owls' 10 turnovers are tied for the third least across the season in a game, while the 26 from the Warriors mark the fourth consecutive game where an opponent has had 25 or more turnovers.

 
Up Next


Keene State hits the road for the LEC Semifinals on Friday, February 27, at 6:00 PM as the Owls travel to take on Rhode Island College and look to avenge their two close defeats earlier in the season to the Anchorwomen.