PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman Macy Swormstedt (Laconia, N.H.) flirted with a triple-double, registering 19 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and five steals, as Plymouth State University shot a sizzling 63% from the field as the Panthers blew out the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 84-54, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball game at Foley Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
UMass Dartmouth got out to a 10-4 lead over the first five minutes, but it was all Panthers from there. Senior Raegan Peck (Dudley, Mass.) drilled a corner three-pointer with two minutes left in the first to put PSU in front and the Panthers would never trail again.
 
PSU nursed a 15-14 edge after the first quarter, but opened the second with 11 straight points to take control. UMass Dartmouth got as close as eight in the final minute of the first half, but the Panthers answered to take a 37-27 lead into the halftime break.
 
Plymouth State drained three consecutive three-pointers out of the locker room, and UMD would trail by 20-plus the rest of the way.
 
Swormstedt, who went 9-for-12 from the field, had plenty of help. Senior Hailey Malozzi (Maynard, Mass.) went 7-for-10 from the field for 17 points and seven rebounds, while junior Ashley Stephens (Pembroke, N.H.) added 16 points (7-for-12) and five blocks – just one shy of the program record. Senior Elli Cox (Derryfield, N.H.) chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.
 
Plymouth State improves to 10-11 (3-9 LEC), while the Corsairs fall to 8-13 (5-7 LEC).
 
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 84, UMass Dartmouth 54
  • Plymouth State (10-11, 3-9 LEC)
  • UMass Dartmouth (8-13, 5-7 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Plymouth State
  • Macy Swormstedt (19 pts, 9-12 fg, 12 reb, 7 ast, 5 stl)
  • Hailey Malozzi (17 pts, 7-10 fg, 7 reb, 2 stl)
  • Ashley Stephens (16 pts, 7-12 fg, 3 reb, 5 blk)
  • Elli Cox (11 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl)

How it Happened:

• UMass Dartmouth got out to a 10-4 lead through the first five minutes.
• Malozzi got to the rim to spark an 11-2 run as the Panthers charged into the lead. Peck knocked down a corner three to put PSU in front and Swormstedt capped the run with a pull-up jumper.
• A Corsairs' layup cut the PSU lead to 15-14 after one.
• The Panthers opened the second quarter with an 11-0 outburst, as Swormstedt ended the run with a layup and free throw to extend to 26-14 with 6:26 before halftime.
• Another Swormstedt basket gave PSU its largest lead of the first half, 32-19, and the Panthers would remain up by double-digits, 37-27, at the break.
• The halftime pause did little to slow the Panthers, as Malozzi, Stephens, and freshman Genna Bolduc (Dover, N.H.) all swished three-pointers to open the third quarter, extending the lead to 46-27 after two minutes.
• Bolduc knocked down another triple as PSU expanded the lead to 61-40 heading into the fourth.
• The Panthers held UMass Dartmouth without a field goal for more than four minutes to open the final quarter, pushing the lead to 72-44, and PSU coasted the rest of the way.

By the Numbers:

• Swormstedt had 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting in the first half alone.
• Plymouth State shot 34-for-54 (63.0%) from the floor, 7-for-10 (70.0%) from beyond the arc, and 9-for-10 (90.0%) from the free throw line.
• UMass Dartmouth was 19-for-62 (30.6%) from the field, made just 1-for-17 (5.9%) from distance, and shot 15-for-34 (44.1%) from the charity stripe.
• PSU's 63% shooting was its highest mark in at least 17 years.
• The Panthers' 84 points were the most since scoring 89 in a double-overtime win over the Corsairs in Feb. 2019, and the most in a regulation game since putting up 94 in a win over WestConn in Feb. 2018.
• Plymouth State owned a 40-34 rebounding advantage, outscored UMass Dartmouth 44-36 in the paint, and 11-0 in fast break points.
• PSU's last win in the series came in the 2019 double-overtime victory.

 
Up Next:

• Plymouth State visits league-leading Southern Maine on Wednesday (Feb. 11) for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

 
 
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