DANBURY, Conn. – The Plymouth State University men's basketball team held off a pesky Western Connecticut State University team, 83-79, in the Little East Conference (LEC) opener at the Westside Athletic Complex Saturday afternoon.
 
Senior Dante Rivera (Lawrence, Mass.) led the Panthers with 21 points for the second straight game, while freshman Yansel Reyes (Manchester, N.H.) scored 16 points of his own. Sophomore Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) and senior Devin Cooper (Newfield, N.Y.) also scored in double figures.
 
WestConn came back from ten-point deficit with under five minutes to play to cut the Panthers' lead to two, but PSU hit key free throws in the end to hold off the WCSU comeback.
 
Plymouth State improves to 6-3 (1-0 LEC) on the season, while WestConn falls to 6-2 (0-1 LEC).
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 83, WestConn 79
  • Plymouth State (6-3, 1-0 LEC)
  • Western Connecticut (6-2, 0-1 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Dante Rivera (21 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 6-11 fg)
• Yansel Reyes (16 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl)
• Kyler Bosse (12 pts, 5 reb, 3-7 fg, 6-6 ft)
• Devin Cooper (11 pts, 5 reb, 4-7 fg)

How it Happened:

• PSU took an 8-3 lead in the opening 3:02 of the contest.
• WestConn proceeded to gain the advantage, 12-10, with 13:38 left until halftime.
• WCSU extended its margin to ten (36-26), with 4:38 remaining, but the Panthers answered back with a 13-2 surge to close out the half and take a narrow 39-38 lead into the locker room.
• Plymouth expanded its lead to six (44-38) by scoring the first five points of the second half.
• An 8-2 run midway through the second found the hosts back in front, 58-57, with 10:28 to go.
• PSU wasted no time to come right back, outscoring WCSU 16-5 to take its biggest lead of the game, 73-63, with 4:56 on the clock.
• WestConn made one last push to get the game to within two with 1:55 to play but could not get past the Panthers in the end.

By the Numbers:

• The Panthers shot 26-of-53 (49.1%) from the floor and 10-of-29 (34.5%) from three.
• WestConn outrebounded PSU 39-35 and 17-10 on the offensive glass.
• The Panthers led for 56.6% of the game. The largest lead for either team was ten.
• Points off the bench were in PSU's favor, 30-15.
• This was PSU's first win at the Westside Athletic Complex in 15 games.
• Plymouth has won each of the last two meetings.
• WestConn was selected third in the LEC preseason poll.

 
Up Next:

• The Panthers return home to face LEC opponent Keene State College on Wednesday (Dec. 8) in Foley Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.