WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Senior
Kevin Henry (Stratham, N.H.) and junior
Torran Bosworth (Springfield, Mass.) combined for 29 points, but Eastern Connecticut State University used a 9-0 run late in the second half to squeeze past Plymouth State University, 62-54, in a back-and-forth Little East Conference (LEC) men's basketball game at Geissler Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors built a six-point advantage early in the second half, but Bosworth and Henry got to the rim and PSU would rally into the lead, 41-40, midway through the frame. The teams would trade the lead six times over the next five minutes. Plymouth State was up 47-46 with just under six minutes to go, but the Warriors pulled away with the game-deciding run and ECSU hit its free throws down the stretch to prevent a PSU comeback.
Henry finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while Bosworth scored 14 points and added three steals.
Plymouth State slips to 9-6 (3-4 LEC), while the Warriors improve to 11-4 (3-4 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 54, Eastern Connecticut 62
- Plymouth State (9-6, 3-4 LEC)
- Eastern Connecticut (11-4, 3-4 LEC)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- Eastern Connecticut used the deep ball during a 9-2 spurt to grab a 15-6 lead after the first 6:31 of action.
- The Panthers scored eight of the next ten points to pull within three, 17-14, with eight minutes before the half.
- Henry knocked down a pair of free throws, then scored from the interior as PSU rallied into the lead, 27-26, with less than two minutes in the first.
- ECSU connected twice from the charity stripe to take a 28-27 lead into the locker room.
- The hosts used a 7-2 run out of the break to extend the margin to 35-29.
- Bosworth got to the rim to spark an 8-1 surge as the Panthers jumped back ahead, 39-38, midway through the second half.
- The lead went back-and-forth over the next four minutes until the hosts ran off nine straight points to go up 55-47 with under two minutes to go.
- Bosworth drilled a three-pointer to keep PSU alive, but the Warriors were steady from the free throw line down the stretch to hold on for the narrow win.
By the Numbers:
- Plymouth State went 23-of-57 (40.4%) from the floor but was just 2-of-15 (13.3%) from distance.
- The Warriors went 20-for-50 (40.0%) from the field and knocked down 5-of-18 (27.8%) from beyond the arc.
- PSU's defense held the Warriors to 0-of-10 shooting from deep in the second half.
- ECSU held a 39-28 advantage on the boards.
- Plymouth State came away with 13 steals.
- PSU's bench doubled up its counterparts, 10-5.
- The Panthers scored 20 points off ECSU turnovers.
- Eastern Connecticut leads the all-time series 45-38 and has won each of the last six meetings.
Up Next:
- PSU visits Southern Maine for a league game on Wednesday (Jan. 22) at 7:30 p.m.
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