BOSTON, Mass. – UMass Boston Women's Basketball were able to spoil a feverish second half comeback by Keene State College, utilizing sharp three-point shooting to put the Owls away in the final minutes by a final score of 66-61 at the Clark Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 66, Keene State College 61
UMass Boston (8-8, 2-5 LEC)
Keene State College (3-10, 1-6 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a wire-to-wire game for UMass Boston, who entered the game with an identical conference record as Keene State at 1-5 on the season. Both teams trailed University of Southern Maine by one game for the sixth and final spot in the Little East Conference Tournament just a little over a month from now.
With the game tied at seven all with 7:21 remaining, the Beacons onslaught of scoring in the opening quarter began as they went on a 22-7 run led by a three-point barrage from graduate forward Meg Dixon and senior forward Paige Ollivierre who combined for 14 points. Sophomore forward Sunny Green added four points of her own as UMass Boston went in control 29-14 after 10 minutes, shooting 10-of-19 from the field and 4-for-9 from three.
The Beacons would lead by as many as 23 points, 39-16, after a three from Ollivierre with 4:24 remaining in the second quarter, but a 13-0 run to close out the first half for the Owls would trim the UMass Boston lead down to 10 points, 39-29, heading into the half. Freshman guards Valerie Luizzi and Lilly Krysinski led the Keene State run with 11 combined points.
Momentum continued to favor the Owls in the third quarter as five points from sophomore guard Aryanna Murray helped bring the deficit down to three points, 41-38, with 6:03 left in the quarter. A 10-2 run off of three free throws, a Dixon jumper, a layup from junior forward Alexah Potter, and long two by Ollivierre helped UMass Boston go back ahead by double-digits, 48-38. The Beacons would lead by 11 heading into the final quarter, after a buzzer beater three from Dixon put UMass Boston ahead 55-44.
The 11-point lead for the Beacons swung all the way to a three-point deficit with four minutes to play. The 14-0 KSC run had UMass Boston on the ropes until their top deep threats, Dixon and Ollivierre, each connected on a pair of threes to put them up 61-58 as part of a 9-0 run.
In a game defined by scoring runs, the Beacons were able to hold the Owls to just three late points in the final four minutes of play, holding on to win 66-61.
BY THE NUMBERS
- The Beacons made nine of their 20 three-point attempts, including going 2-for-2 in the fourth quarter
- 15 Keene State turnovers led to 18 points for the Beacons
- Paige Ollivierre's 17 point were here most in a game this season
- Meg Dixon's 24 points and 11 rebounds were good for her seventh double-double of the season, and her third straight
- The Beacon's avenged last season's home loss to the Owls, improving their all-time record in the series to 14-15
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston goes back on the road for two games, starting off with a mid-week game against University of Southern Maine on Wednesday night at 5:30 PM. Last season, the two teams split their two games against each other after the Beacons had won four consecutive games against the Huskies.
