Emerson posts monster game in non-conference setback

            NEWTON, Mass. – Senior Cassidy Emerson (Concord, N.H.) scored 18 points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds but Plymouth State University was tripped up by Lasell College, 53-52, in a non-conference women's basketball game at the Lasell Athletic Center on Monday night.

            PSU trailed 32-24 at halftime, but outscored the Lasers by a 16-9 margin in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 41-40 heading into the final ten minutes. The Panthers surged ahead, 50-43, with 5:11 to play but the hosts closed the game with a 10-2 run to steal the win.

            Plymouth State drops its first game of the season to go to 5-1, while Lasell improves to 3-4.

            The Basics:

            Plymouth State 52, Lasell 53

            Plymouth State 5-1

            Lasell 3-4

            How it Happened:

            * Emerson got her night off to a quick start getting to the basket on the Panthers' first possession. Senior Jess Conant (Concord, N.H.) scored the next eight points for PSU and her jumper gave Plymouth State a 10-8 lead with 3:34 left in the opening quarter.

            * Emerson extended the lead 40 seconds later, but the Lasers closed the quarter with a pair of three-pointers to take a 14-12 lead after one.

            * Lasell opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run capped by a triple from junior D'Asia Allen (Providence, R.I.) to push the lead to double digits. Emerson's jumper stopped the streak and senior Debra Morrill (Concord, N.H.) converted an old-fashioned three-point play to pull the Panthers to within 22-17 with 5:40 left in the half.

            * Senior Liz Bougie (Sanford, Maine) connected from beyond the arc to restore a double figure lead for the Lasers, 31-20, with just over two minutes left. Morrill sank a jump shot from the right elbow just as time expired to cut the PSU deficit to 32-24 at the half.

            * PSU ratcheted up the defense to start the third quarter, forcing turnovers on three of the Lasers first four possessions as part of a 6-0 run. Good ball movement led to another Emerson jumper in the paint, and Conant's layup made it a 32-30 game forcing Lasell to take a timeout.

            * The Lasers went up by five, 39-34, with four minutes to play but Emerson sank a pair of free throws, then came up with a steal and went coast-to-coast to cut the margin to one with under three to play. The teams traded baskets as the quarter ended with Lasell holding a 41-40 lead.

            * Junior Chenysse Hill (Lynn, Mass.) made a steal on the Lasell in-bounds pass to start the fourth quarter, then outran the defense for a fast-break layup to put the Panthers in front. PSU forced a stop at the other end, then sophomore Elizabeth McLaughlin (Melvin Village, N.H.) hit a tough runner in traffic and Hill laid it in after a nice back-cut as Plymouth pulled ahead, 46-41, to force a timeout.

            * Another Lasell turnover led to a Hill breakaway bucket and the Panthers surged ahead, 50-43, with five minutes to play, but the hosts scored six straight points to pull to within one. Emerson stopped the streak with a driving layup with just over two minutes to play, but graduate student Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) made two inside shots to put Lasell back in front, 53-52, with just over a minute to go.

            * The Lasers stepped up their defense forcing a PSU miscue with just 36 seconds remaining. Lasell missed a layup but an offensive rebound appeared to seal the win for the Lasers, however a shot clock violation gave the Panthers the ball with six seconds left. Lasell took a pair of quick fouls to run the clock down to 2.6 seconds and Plymouth State was unable to get a clean shot off.

            Inside the Numbers:

            * Emerson's 18 points were just two points shy of her career best, while her 17 rebounds set a new personal standard.

            * Conant added 16 points, while Morrill chipped in with five points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Hill also played a solid game, contributing eight points, four assists and three steals.

            * Muir led Lasell with 12 points and seven rebounds.

            * The hosts went 7-of-22 from long range while holding PSU to 0-of-7 from distance.

            * Lasell owned a slight 42-41 edge on the glass, while the Panthers outscored the Lasers by a 24-18 margin in the paint.

            * PSU's five straight wins to open the year was the best start since the 2009-10 season.

            Up Next:

            * The Panthers open Little East Conference action on the road on Wednesday (Nov. 28) when PSU visits Castleton University for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

            * Lasell hosts Elms College on Thursday (Nov. 29) at 6:00 p.m.

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