PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University men's basketball team beat the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors, 78-73, in a Little East Conference (LEC) game in Foley Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
Three players scored 20 or more points for the Panthers in a heroic display. Sophomore Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) led the Panthers with double-double (26 pts, 10 reb), while senior Dante Rivera (Lawrence, Mass.) put up 22 points of his own. Junior Giorgi Tsiklauri (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 20 points to round out the three-headed attack.
 
The Panthers win their second conference game of the season to finish out 2021 and pick up their first victory over the Warriors since the 2016-2017 season.
 
Plymouth State improves to 7-4 (2-1 LEC) on the season, while the Warriors fall to 6-4 (2-1 LEC).
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 78, Eastern Connecticut 73
  • Plymouth State (7-4, 2-1 LEC)
  • Eastern Connecticut (6-4, 2-1 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Kyler Bosse (26 pts, 10 reb, 12-15 fg)
• Dante Rivera (22 pts, 4 ast, 9-17 fg, 1blk)
• Giorgi Tsiklauri (20 pts, 4 reb, 6-13 fg)

How it Happened:

• PSU jumped out to an early six-point advantage (10-4) with 15:42 to play in the first half.
• Eastern Connecticut took the lead, 17-15, nearly five minutes later.
• The Panthers regained a five-point advantage (33-28) with a 9-2 run, forcing an ECSU timeout with 1:23 remaining in the half.
• Plymouth maintained its lead, 34-30, going into halftime.
• The Warriors took their first lead of the second half knocking down a three-pointer to go up 54-53 with 10:01 to go in regulation.
• PSU responded, going on a 10-3 spurt to regain a six-point lead (65-59) with 6:43 to play.
• Rivera had a monster block (only the fifth of his career) with 4:20 to play to protect a PSU 67-65 lead.
• Senior Gerald Fleming (Tampa, Fla.) laid down an exclamatory dunk to extend the Panthers' lead to eight points (75-67) with 43 seconds on the clock.
• Eastern Connecticut would trim the lead to five in the closing minute but could get no closer as the Panthers held on for the win.

By the Numbers:

• The Panthers shot an impressive 32-of-62 (51.6%) from the floor and 6-of-14 (42.9%) from three.
• PSU outrebounded Eastern Connecticut, 38-36, with nine offensive boards.
• Neither team led by more than eight points throughout the contest.
• Points off the bench were in PSU's favor 20-4.
• The PSU win snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Warriors.
• This was the first time three Panthers scored 20 or more points in a single game dating back to the 2018-19 season opener against Saint Joseph's College.

 
Up Next:

• The Panthers return from winter recess to host LEC opponent University of Southern Maine at home on Jan. 5. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. in Foley Gymnasium.