CASTLETON, Vt. – Senior
Hailey Malozzi (Maynard, Mass.) narrowly missed a double-double with 21 points and nine rebounds, but Vermont State University Castleton used a strong third quarter to pull away from Plymouth State University, 71-60, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball contest at Glenbrook Gymnasium on Thursday evening.
Malozzi was outstanding throughout the night, shooting an efficient 8-for-10 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range, while leading the Panthers in scoring, rebounding and steals (3). Plymouth State held a slim 23-21 advantage with two minutes remaining in the second quarter, but the Spartans closed the half on a 5-0 run to take a 26-23 lead into intermission.
Castleton seized momentum late in the third quarter, finishing the period with 10 consecutive points to open a 55-36 advantage heading into the fourth. The Panthers responded with resilience, chipping away in the final ten minutes and trimming the deficit to 68-58 following a steal and basket by senior
Elli Cox (Deerfield, N.H.), but Castleton sealed the contest at the free throw line down the stretch.
Plymouth State moves to 8-4 (1-3 LEC), while the Spartans improve to 5-7 (1-3 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 60, VTSU Castleton 71
- Plymouth State (8-4, 1-3 LEC)
- VTSU Castleton (5-7, 1-3 LEC)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- Castleton held a slight edge early until Malozzi drilled a three-pointer to give PSU its first lead, 9-7, with 2:17 left in the opening quarter.
- The Spartans answered with a 5-0 run to take a 12-9 lead after one.
- Another Malozzi three kept the Panthers within striking distance midway through the second, and freshman Alex White (Derry, N.H.) scored five straight points to put PSU ahead, 23-21, with two minutes remaining in the half.
- Castleton closed the second quarter with another 5-0 spurt to regain the lead, 26-23, at the break.
- The Spartans opened the third quarter with a 10-5 run, but Malozzi converted an old-fashioned three-point play to pull PSU within 36-31 four minutes in.
- A late 19-5 Castleton surge pushed the margin to 55-36 entering the fourth.
- Plymouth State opened the final quarter with eight straight points and later cut the deficit to 10 before Castleton secured the win at the line.
By the Numbers:
- Malozzi eclipsed the 20-point mark for the third time this season and recorded a career-best 80% shooting performance, going a perfect 4-for-4 in the second half.
- Junior Ashley Stephens (Pembroke, N.H.) logged her seventh double-digit scoring effort of the season.
- Plymouth State shot 33.9% from the field (21-for-62) from the field, 31.3% from three-point range (5-for-16) and 81.3% from the free throw line (13-for-16).
- Castleton finished at 40.6% shooting (26-for-64) and 28.6% from beyond the arc (6-for-21).
- The Spartans held a 43-31 rebounding advantage.
- PSU converted 12 Castleton turnovers into 17 points, recorded seven steals and four blocked shots, and outscored the Spartans' bench 12-3.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts Eastern Connecticut State on Saturday (Jan. 10) at noon.
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