DANBURY, Conn.—UMass Boston used three big runs, to earn a 60-49 win over host Western Connecticut State University on Wednesday night at Feldman Arena. 
 
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 60, Western Connecticut State University 49
(UMass Boston 5-8, Little East 4-3) 
(Western Conn. St. 6-10, Little East 1-6) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Beacons scored the final seven points of the first half, and went on big runs to close out the third and fourth quarters, to secure their first two-game winning streak of the season. 
 
Keriann Farina (Arlington, Mass.) went off for a career-high 16 points in the victory. The junior went 7-13 from the field and tacked on a career-best nine rebounds (four offensive). 
 
Senior Meg Dixon (Hanover, Mass.) posted her second-straight double-double and fourth of her senior season. She finished with 13 points (4-8 shooting) and a game-high 13 rebounds, to go along with three assists and four steals. 
 
Sophomore Rayla Gonzalez (Boston, Mass.) was the final Beacon to finish in double-figures. Gonzalez went 6-8 of the field for 12 points-which marked the second-most points of her collegiate career. She also notched seven rebounds and two steals. 
 
WestConn's Nicole Vivian led all players with 18 points (7-16 shooting) in the contest. Ashley Rilley (10 points) was the only other player to finish in double-figures for the home team. 
 
With the Beacons trailing 23-20 with 3:04 to go in the first half, UMass Boston went on a 7-0 spurt to take the lead for good. 
 
Farina started the rally with a 3-point play and Gonzalez added a layup to give the Beacons a 25-23 edge. With less than 10 seconds left in the half, Gonzalez found a cutting Vienna Monestime (Framingham, Mass.) for a wide-open layup and a 27-23 lead at the break. 
 
The hosts came out strong to start the third quarter and managed to tie the game three times. With the Beacons holding on to a 35-33 advantage, UMass Boston used an 8-0 run to regain control of the game. 
 
Farina led the charge again, as she hit a pair of layups to begin and the end the flurry. Monestime and Dixon chipped in baskets of their own to give UMass Boston their largest lead of the game to that points at 43-33. 
 
WestConn managed to cut the Beacons lead to four (51-47) with 6:34 to go in regulation. The Beacons defense took over from there, as UMass Boston held the hosts to one made basket in the final 6:34-as part of a 9-2 game-ending run. 
 
Farina (four points), Paige Ollivierre (Newton, Mass.) and Gonzalez accounted for all nine points over the final 6:34. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• UMass Boston finished the game shooting 41.4 percent (24-58) from the field, 3-16 (18.8 percent) from distance and 69.2 percent (9-13) from the free throw line. 
• Farina's 16 points marked a new career-high. Her previous high was 13 points, which she scored earlier this season against Mitchell and WestConn. Farina has set a new career-high or tied her career-high in points in three of her four career meetings against WestConn. 
• With the win, UMass Boston earned the season-sweep of WestConn and improved to 21-41 all-time against WestConn. The Beacons have won nine in a row against WestConn. 
• UMass Boston earned a 36-24 edge in points in the paint and 23-14 edge in bench points. 

WHO'S NEXT 
 
UMass Boston is scheduled to host the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Saturday at 1 p.m. in their non-conference finale.