Ricard nets career high in LEC setback 

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior Alex Ricard (Manchester, N.H.) went 7-of-8 from the floor to score a career-high 15 points, but the University of Southern Maine used a big third quarter to top Plymouth State University, 68-46, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball game at Hill Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.

            PSU remained in contention through the first half as the Huskies took a 26-18 lead into the break. The hosts went 8-of-14 from the field while outscoring Plymouth State by a 23-11 margin in the third quarter to seize control, though, and the Panthers were unable to rally.

            Plymouth State slips to 4-18 and 0-13 in the LEC, while Southern Maine improves to 10-13 and 5-9 in league play.

            The Basics:

            Plymouth State 46, Southern Maine 68

            Plymouth State (4-18, 0-13 LEC)

            Southern Maine (10-13, 5-9 LEC)

            How it Happened.

• Ricard's bucket stood as the only points over the first three minutes as both teams got off to slow starts offensively.
• Ricard hit from inside the paint to give PSU a 7-6 lead midway through the opening quarter and the Panthers led 9-8 with less than four minutes to play.
• USM used a 9-0 run to take the lead, but Ricard's layup trimmed the margin to 17-11 after one.
• The Huskies increased the lead in the second, but senior Chenysse Hill (Lynn, Mass.) hit a jumper and freshman Alessia Salzillo's (Saugus, Mass.) free throw pulled the Panthers to within six, 22-16, at the midpoint of the second.
• Southern Maine went into the break with a 26-18 advantage.
• Ricard pulled PSU closer as she hit on the Panthers' opening possession of the second half, but USM answered with a 20-2 surge to grab control.
• Ricard completed an old-fashioned three-point play with two minutes left in the frame, but the Huskies took a 49-29 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
• The Panthers used a 9-2 spurt to cut the deficit to 13, 51-38, after three minutes and freshman Autumn Nelson (Weare, N.H.) got to the basket to make it an 11-point margin later in the quarter, but that was as close as PSU would get.

            Inside the Numbers:

• Ricard was an impressive 7-of-8 from the field and added four rebounds to her 15-point effort.
• Hill added seven points, three rebounds and three assists, with Nelson chipping in eight points and eight boards.
• Salzillo totaled seven points, five rebounds and three steals.
• USM outrebounded the Panthers by a 40-34 margin.

            Up Next:

• PSU heads to Eastern Connecticut on Saturday (Feb. 15) for a 1:00 p.m. contest.

– 30 –