PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University men's basketball team fell to Rivier University, 100-88, in a non-conference matchup at Foley Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
The up-and-down contest was deadlocked at 41-41 at the break. Things stayed tight through the first nine minutes of the second half, but Rivier used a 13-0 run over a four-minute span to push the lead to 14 (78-14).
Plymouth State slowly chipped away and a free throw from junior
Torran Bosworth (Springfield, Mass.) cut the deficit to seven, 80-73, with just over four minutes to go, but Rivier quickly restored the double-digit advantage. PSU made one last push as a three-pointer made it 93-85 with 1:48 on the clock, but that was as close as the Panthers would get as Rivier held on for the win.
Bosworth finished with a career-high 24 points, while senior
Elijah Swanson (Meredith, N.H.) added 14 points. Sophomores
Eli Pockette (Rutland, Vt.) and
Ivan Yen (Concord, N.H.) chipped in ten points apiece, with Yen also pulling down six rebounds.
Plymouth State sees its five-game winning streak snapped to slip to 5-1, while Rivier improves to 6-1.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 88, Rivier 100
- Plymouth State (5-1)
- Rivier (6-1)
Top Performers:
- Plymouth State
- Torran Bosworth (24 pts, 3-8 3pt, 3 reb)
- Elijah Swanson (14 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl)
- Ivan Yen (10 pts, 4-7 fg, 6 reb, 2 stl)
- Eli Pockette (10 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast)
How it Happened:
- Bosworth sank a pair of free throws and senior Kevin Henry (Stratham, N.H.) drilled a jumper to give the Panthers an 11-6 lead after the first 3:22 of play.
- The Raiders cut the deficit to two, 18-16, with a three-pointer with 12:37 left in the half.
- The visitors slipped into the lead, 24-22, with a pair of free throws four minutes later, but Plymouth State responded with an 8-0 spurt to restore the lead.
- Rivier nursed a two-point edge late, but Bosworth's driving layup evened the score at 41-41 heading into the break.
- The lead went back-and-forth to start the second half and with 11:26 left to play the score was deadlocked at 60-60.
- The Raiders exploded into the lead thanks to a 16-2 run. PSU cut the deficit to seven on Bosworth's free throw with 4:26 left to play, but Rivier answered right back with the next seven points and the visitors maintained the double-digit lead until Swanson's triple made it 93-85 with 1:48 to go.
- That was as close as the Panthers would get, as Rivier held on for the win.
By the Numbers:
- Plymouth State shot a solid 47.1% (33-of-70) from the floor, but Rivier went 17-for-30 (56.7%) in the second half.
- PSU was 5-of-20 (25.0%) from beyond the arc, while the Raiders hit ten three-pointers (10-of-26).
- Rivier held a 40-33 advantage on the boards.
- Plymouth State scored 24 points off turnovers and outscored Rivier 44-34 in the paint.
- The Panthers' reserves outscored their counterparts by a 26-6 margin.
- PSU had won 19 of the previous 20 matchups.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State is back on the court on Dec. 4 for the Little East Conference opener against UMass Dartmouth. Tip off from Foley Gymnasium is set for 7:00 p.m.
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