Wyland, Lawrence post big games in LEC opener

            PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Seniors Kayla Wyland (Melrose, Mass.) and DeAsia 'Ace' Lawrence (Middletown, Conn.) had big games, but it wasn't enough as Plymouth State University fell to Rhode Island College, 73-62, in Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball Saturday at The Murray Center.

            Wyland and Lawrence were the game's two top scorers, finishing with 22 and 19 points respectively.  Wyland added a team-high nine rebounds, while Lawrence pulled down five boards.  The two teams were tied at the half, 27-27, and PSU trailed by just one point (51-50) to open the fourth quarter, but the Anchorwomen outscored the Panthers 22-12 in the final ten minutes to take home the win.

            Plymouth State falls to 1-4 (0-1 LEC) and has lost four straight after a season-opening win against Rivier College.  Rhode Island improves to an even 4-4 (1-0 LEC).

THE BASICS

  The Murray Center, Providence, R.I. – Sat., Dec. 3, 2016

  Plymouth State 62, Rhode Island 73

  Records:

  Plymouth State 1-4 (0-1 LEC); Rhode Island 4-4 (1-0 LEC)

PSU LEADERS

  * Wyland … 22 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two assists, one block

  * Lawrence … 19 points, five rebounds, two steals

  * Senior Leah Swanson (Atkinson, N.H.) … eight points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals

  * Sophomore Cassidy Emerson (Concord, N.H.) … six points, eight rebounds, two steals

BY THE NUMBERS

  * The Panthers finished 23-of-69 (33.3%) from the floor and 6-of-25 (24.0%) from downtown.  RIC wasn't much better from the field, shooting 35.8% (24-of-67), but drained 12-of-28 (42.9%) from long range.

  * RIC controlled the boards, outrebounding Plymouth State by a 54-42 margin.

  * The Anchorwomen led by as many at 14 (46-32) in the third quarter, but the Panthers used an 18-5 run over the quarter's final 4:33 to cut the deficit to 51-50 to start the fourth.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Quarter:

  * In a low-scoring first quarter PSU took a brief 4-3 lead after a jumper from Emerson with 4:25 left in the quarter.

  * RIC answered with a 5-1 run, but another Emerson jumper made it 8-7 for the home team with just over a minute to play.

  * A three-pointer from freshman Jordyn Gauvin (Fall River, Mass.) put the Anchorwomen up 11-7 after one.

Second Quarter:

  * The Anchorwomen pushed their lead to five points early in the second quarter after a three-pointer by freshman Victoria Demers (Sutton, Mass.) put RIC up 16-11 with 7:29 left in the first half.

  * Plymouth State used a 5-0 run, capped by a layup from Lawrence, to knot the game at 16-16 with 6:05 remaining on the clock.

  * The two teams traded baskets for the rest of the half and headed into the locker room in a 27-27 deadlock.

Third Quarter:

  * RIC used a 19-5 run to open the second half, capped by a three-pointer by Gauvin, to take its largest lead of the contest, 46-32, with 4:33 left in the third quarter.

  * Plymouth State answered back with an 18-5 run, with all the points coming from Wyland and Lawrence, to cut the margin to 51-50 at the end of the quarter.

  * Wyland had 12 points in the run, which including a perfect four-of-four from both the floor and the free throw line, while Lawrence had a pair of three-pointers.

Fourth Quarter:

  * Rhode Island used a 14-3 run to open up a 65-53 lead with 7:52 left in the contest.

  * Wyland and Lawrence again brought the Panthers back, this time scoring nine straight points to cut the deficit to just three points, 65-62, with 4:40 remaining in regulation.  Wyland had six points during the stretch, with Lawrence draining another triple.

  * That was as close as Plymouth State would get, however, as the Anchorwomen scored the game's last eight points for the 73-62 final.

NEXT UP

  * Plymouth State is on the road for the third straight game, as the Panthers travel to Lasell College for a non-conference match-up on Tues., Dec. 6 (7:00 p.m.).

  * Rhode Island is back in action on Monday at Amherst College (7:00 p.m.).

-- 30 --