GORHAM, Maine – Despite a strong fourth quarter, the Plymouth State University women's basketball team dropped an 82-36 decision to nationally ranked and league-leading University of Southern Maine in a Little East Conference (LEC) matchup at Warren G. Hill Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.
The stifling Huskies defense set the tone from the opening tip, holding the Panthers to just three field goals in the first half. Plymouth State shot well in the fourth quarter, knocking down 9-of-16 field goal attempts, including 4-of-6 from distance, but the early deficit was too large to overcome.
Sophomore
Kaley Goodhart (Center Conway, N.H.) led the Panthers with eight points in 13 minutes, going 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Senior
Hailey Malozzi (Maynard, Mass.) chipped in seven points and five rebounds.
Plymouth State dips to 10-12 (3-10 LEC), while the Huskies – ranked No. 25 in this week's WBCA poll and receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com poll – improve to 21-2 (13-1 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 36, Southern Maine 82
- Plymouth State (10-12, 3-10 LEC)
- Southern Maine (21-2, 13-1 LEC)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- Southern Maine jumped ahead with an 11-0 run over the first four-plus minutes.
- Malozzi got to the rim and freshman Macy Swormstedt (Laconia, N.H.) drained a three to briefly slow the momentum, but the Huskies ended the first quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 26-5 lead.
- USM continued to limit scoring chances in the second quarter and carried a 40-9 lead into halftime.
- The Panthers shot better than 56% in the fourth quarter, with Goodhart scoring all eight of her points in seven minutes of action, but the early deficit proved insurmountable.
By the Numbers:
- Plymouth State shot 5-for-16 (31.3%) from beyond the arc.
- PSU reserves accounted for 25 points.
- Freshman Alex White (Derry, N.H.) snagged a team-high three steals.
Up Next:
- The Panthers return home to face UMass Boston on Saturday (Feb. 14) at noon. Prior to tipoff, Plymouth State will honor its senior class.
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