Arsenault comes up big down the stretch to lead Panthers to key LEC win

            DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Senior Curtis Arsenault (Berlin, N.H.) posted a game-high 21 points in 21 minutes off the bench to lead Plymouth State University past the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 70-67, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's basketball game at the Tripp Athletic Center on Saturday.

            Arsenault finished the night shooting 8-of-12 from the field as the Panthers were able to overcome 12-point second half deficit.  The key victory moves PSU into a three-way tie for fifth place in the LEC with UMass Boston and Rhode Island College.

            Trailing 41-29 one minute into the second half, the Panthers chipped away, ultimately tying the game at 53-53 with 8:35 remaining.  PSU pulled ahead and led 70-63 with under two minutes to play, but the Corsairs scored four quick points to close the gap.  Neither team would score over the final 1:12 as the Panthers hung on for the win.

THE BASICS

  Tripp Athletic Center, Dartmouth, Mass. – Sat., Jan. 28, 2017

  Plymouth State 70, UMass Dartmouth 67

  Records:

  Plymouth State 9-9 (3-6 LEC); UMass Dartmouth 12-7 (6-3 LEC)

PSU LEADERS

  * Arsenault … game-high 21 points (8-of-12), two rebounds in 21 minutes

  * Freshman Jaylen Leroy (Manchester, N.H.) … 13 points (3-of-7 3PT)

  * Sophomore Mike Osgood (Nashua, N.H.) … 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, two blocks

  * Junior Kieran Beck (Danvers, Mass.) … six points, six rebounds, three assists

BY THE NUMBERS

  * PSU finished the night 24-of-57 (42.1%) from the field, as compared to UMD's 23-of-52 (44.2%) performance.  Both teams put up 12 shots from beyond the arc.  PSU connected five times (41.7%), but the hosts made just one (8.3%).

  * The Corsairs held a 40-32 rebounding edge and a 22-13 advantage in second chance points.

  * The PSU bench outscored its counterparts by a 33-13 margin.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half:

  * UMD pulled ahead by six after the first 5:47, but an old-fashioned three-point play from senior Nate Clarke (Reading, Mass.) cut the Panther deficit to 9-12 after six minutes.

  * The Corsairs pushed the lead up to nine, 28-19, after senior Jon Robinson (Chatham, Mass.) sank one-of-two free throws.

  * PSU used an 8-2 run, including six points from Arsenault, to cut the margin to 30-27 with 2:28 to play in the half.

  * UMD used a quick 7-0 spurt to pull ahead by double-digits, 37-27, but junior Collin Sullivan (Plymouth, N.H.) sank two freebies to make it a 37-29 score at the break.

Second Half:

  * UMD opened with back-to-back baskets to grab a 41-29 lead, the Corsairs largest of the game.

  * Leroy sparked a PSU comeback scoring eight points, including two three-pointers, to make it 41-36 after 2:20.

  * Senior Nick MacGregor (Rochester, N.H.) connected from long range to cut the lead to 50-49 with 11:35 remaining.

  * Sophomore Ryan Smith (Melrose, Mass.) knotted the game at 53-53 and moments later gave the Panthers their first lead with just under eight minutes to play.

  * Arsenault took over down the stretch, scoring 13 of the team's 16 points, as PSU held on for the win.

  * UMD could not convert a shot to force overtime as the Corsairs narrowly missed two long-range attempts in the final five seconds.

NEXT UP

  * PSU hosts Pine Manor in a non-conference game on Monday (7:00 p.m.).

  * The Corsairs are back in action on Tuesday night as they host #4 Tufts University (7:30 p.m.).

**With contributions from UMass Dartmouth Sports Information**

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