PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Plymouth State University slashed a ten-point deficit to tie the game with just over a minute remaining, but the University of Massachusetts Boston won the free throw battle down the stretch to top the Panthers, 57-52, in Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball action at Foley Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
Plymouth State trailed by double figures, 51-41, with 5:06 remaining, but a suffocating defense held the Beacons without a field goal the rest of the way as PSU rallied to knot the game at 51-51 with 1:34 to play. The Panthers had a chance to pull ahead, but a fortunate UMass Boston made enough free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
 
Sophomore Lauren Keller (Fort Morgan, Colo.) had her first career double-double, scoring 10 points and adding a career-high 10 rebounds. Junior Alessia Salzillo (Saugus, Mass.) led the Panthers with 13 points, while sophomores Jessica Ruiz (Lynn, Mass.) and Sabrina Vlahovic (New Hope, Pa.) each added 10 points of their own in the instant classic.
 
Plymouth State falls to 1-14 (0-10 LEC), while UMass Boston improves to 6-10 and 5-5 in the LEC.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 51, UMass Boston 57
  • Plymouth State (1-14, 0-10 LEC)
  • UMass Boston (6-10, 5-5 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Lauren Keller (10 pts, 10 reb)
• Alessia Salzillo (13 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl)
• Sabrina Vlahovic (10 pts, 8 reb, 5-8 fg)
• Jessica Ruiz (10 pts, 6 reb)

How it Happened:

• After allowing the first three points, PSU went on an 8-1 run to take a four-point lead (8-4) with 3:32 remaining in the opening quarter.
• The Panthers extended the lead to six (14-8) by the end of the first.
• UMB scored the first six points of the second to tie the game at 14-14 with 7:26 left on the clock.
• The Beacons regained the lead, 19-16, at the 3:29 mark in the second.
• UMB opened the lead to eight, 26-18, with 1:57 remaining in the half.
• PSU scored the final points of the quarter to trail 26-20 at halftime.
• An exciting third quarter saw the Beacons just edge out the Panthers, 19-17, to extend the lead to 45-37.
• The teams traded buckets through the fourth quarter until a Beacons' three-pointer made it a ten-point game, 51-41, at the 5:06 mark.
• The Panthers responded, locking down the UMB offense during a 10-0 run to tie the game at 51-51 with 1:34 remaining.
• PSU had a chance to take the lead, but a questionable foul put the Beacons on the free throw line and UMB connected from the stripe down the stretch to clinch the win.

By the Numbers:

• The Panthers went 23-of-73 (31.5%) from the floor.
• PSU outrebounded the Beacons, 50-39, and 21-8 on the offensive glass.
• Plymouth State had 13 assists to UMB's nine.
• PSU scored 24 points in the paint and the Panthers' reserves outscored their counterparts by a 23-12 margin.
• This was the closest game versus UMB since the 2016-17 season when the Panthers earned a four-point win.

 
Up Next:

• The Panthers head out on the road to face LEC opponent Castleton University on Monday (Feb. 7) with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.

 
 
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