Dempsey and Stowell post career nights for Panthers

              LYNDONVILLE, Vt. – Seniors Ian Dempsey (Andover, Mass.) and Bill Stowell (Stratham, N.H.) both had career nights on Thursday as Plymouth State University downed Lyndon State College, 87-77, in a non-conference men's basketball game at Stannard Gymnasium.

              Dempsey scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Panthers, making 7-of-11 from the field and converting a personal-best 5-of-8 from three-point range.  Stowell posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, both career bests, making 6-of-11 from inside the paint.  The duo helped the Panthers to their second straight win, improving to 5-3 overall.

              The Panthers got contributions from all five senior starters.  In addition to Dempsey and Stowell, Ryan Lambert (Derry, N.H.) scored 13 points, Tom Dowd (Portsmouth, N.H.) added 10 points and five rebounds, and Matt Feehan (Nashua, N.H.) chipped in with six points and seven assists.

              The Hornets were led by Phil Warrick's 21 points and three steals. Jason Gray finished 16 points with seven rebounds while O'Bee Byrd had 11 points with seven rebounds. Ben Sackett had 11 points and Jose Fortunato collected a team-high four assists as Lyndon State dropped to 1-7.

              The Hornets scored the last seven points of the first half to pull to within one point, 37-36, at the break. The home team pulled ahead 45-41 early in the second half but PSU, led by the shooting of Dempsey and Stowell, went on a 19-4 burst to open up a double-digit lead, 60-49, with 12:30 remaining.  Lyndon got as close as five points a couple times down the stretch but the Panthers held on for the 10-point win.

              PSU wraps up the semester on Saturday with a Little East Conference game at Eastern Connecticut State University (3:00 p.m.) 

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