DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Top-seeded #24 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth shot 60% from the floor and went 9-of-13 from beyond the arc in the first half to build a lead that fourth-seeded Plymouth State University could not overcome in the semifinal round of the Little East Conference (LEC) Men's Basketball Tournament at the Tripp Athletic Center on Thursday evening.
The Panthers offense clicked into high gear in the second half, scoring a season-high 56 points over the final 20 minutes while shooting nearly 58% from the floor, but the Corsairs' first half outburst was too much to overcome.
Junior
Giorgi Tsiklauri (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the Panthers with 24 points, while sophomore
Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) scored 17. Senior
Dante Rivera (Lawrence, Mass.) added 15 points in the losing effort.
Plymouth State was looking to make its first appearance in the LEC title game since the 2004-05 season, but the nationally ranked Corsairs had different plans. PSU finishes the season with a 15-12 record, while UMass Dartmouth (24-3) remains unbeaten at home and will host third-seeded Keene State in the championship game on Saturday (Feb. 26).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 86, UMass Dartmouth 98
- Plymouth State (15-12)
- UMass Dartmouth (24-3)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- The Corsairs started the game with a 10-2 run over the first 1:36 to force an early Plymouth State timeout.
- PSU ran with the hosts, but still trailed by eight, 24-16, midway through the first half.
- UMass Dartmouth scored 12 unanswered points to grow the lead to 33-16 at the 6:28 mark.
- The hot-shooting Corsairs didn't seem to miss, shooting an even 60% from the floor to take a 49-30 advantage into halftime.
- UMass Dartmouth led by as much as 29 points in the second half, but Plymouth State began to flow offensively to chip away at the lead.
- PSU got to within ten points, 96-86, in the final minute but the hosts were able to hold on for the win.
By the Numbers:
- Plymouth State finished 35-of-77 (45.5%) from the field and hit 7-of-15 three-pointers in the second half.
- UMass Dartmouth, though, was 60% from the floor and nearly 70% from distance over the first 20 minutes.
- The Panthers' 56 second half points were the most since scoring 57 against NVU-Lyndon on Jan. 28, 2020.
- The Corsairs took 31 free throws, including 26 in the second half alone, while PSU had 13 for the game.
- Plymouth State's bench outscored its counterparts by a 32-14 margin.
- PSU held a 40-33 edge on the boards, including an 18-5 advantage on the offensive glass.
- The Panthers have reached the semifinals of the LEC Tournament in each of the last two full seasons.
- Rivera concludes his career with 1,149 points, the 14th-most in program history.
- The game marked the final contest for seniors Rivera, Cooper, Chris McCarthy (Chelmsford, Mass.), Manny Alisandro (Manchester, N.H.), Gerald Fleming (Tampa, Fla.) and Cody Graham (Rye, N.H.).
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