|
REBECCA (MORSE) SMITH ('99): Morse was a dominating force for the Plymouth State women’s basketball team from 1995-99, becoming just the fifth woman to score 1,000 career points while grabbing nearly 900 rebounds. She left Plymouth third on the all-time scoring list and her 1,089 career points are still the eighth-most in program history today.
A three-time All-Little East Conference honoree, Morse was also named the LEC Rookie of the Year after an impressive freshman campaign during which she nearly averaged a double-double (9.8 points, 10.0 rebounds).
Although she missed the first semester of her sophomore season (seven games) to rehab a knee injury, she returned with a vengeance. Over the final 18 games she averaged 13.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, finishing as the team’s top rebounder 15 times. The LEC’s head coaches took notice, voting her to the All-LEC First Team.
Morse picked up Most Valuable Player honors after leading the Panthers to a pair of convincing wins at the MIT Tip-Off Tournament to open the 1997-98 season. The following weekend she was selected to the All-Tournament Team at the Gallaudet Holiday Tournament after pouring in 19 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in an impressive win over Pine Manor in the consolation game. The fast start was a sign of things to come, as Morse would go on to lead the Panthers in scoring (11.6/game), rebounding (8.7/game) and blocks (24), while coming up with 33 steals to earn All-LEC Honorable Mention.
Morse was unstoppable in a pair of league contests late in her senior year. She dropped 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting and pulled down 12 rebounds in a thrilling overtime win over Keene State, scoring nine of the team’s 11 points in the extra frame to secure the win. Three days later she tallied 18 points and a career-high 19 rebounds to knock off Rhode Island College, scoring her 1,000th career point midway through the second half. She went on to earn All-LEC Honorable Mention again, while also being named a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) New Hampshire Division III First Team All-Star.
Morse finished her career averaging 11.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while adding 73 blocks and 183 steals. She was inducted into the Wachusett Regional High School Hall of Fame in September 2016.
|
