Leroy, Osgood combine for 38 points in setback

            WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Sophomore Jaylen Leroy (Manchester, N.H.) and junior Mike Osgood (Nashua, N.H.) combined for 38 points but eighth-seeded Plymouth State University fell to top-seeded and #10 ranked Eastern Connecticut State University, 107-67, in the first round of the Little East Conference (LEC) men's basketball tournament at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

            Plymouth State ends the season with a 10-16 mark while ECSU improves to 23-3.

            Leroy and Osgood capped incredible seasons as the top scorers for PSU once again. The dynamic duo entered the game as the top two scorers in the Little East. Leroy finished with 22 points and added three rebounds, while Osgood totaled 16 points and a team-high eight boards. Junior Chase Soares (Falmouth, Mass.) chipped in with 11 points.

            PSU looked good out of the gates and played with a lead for the first nine minutes of action. Freshman Sam Bonney-Liles (Hudson, N.H.) put the visitors up early with a three-pointer. Soares connected from long range to give PSU a 13-9 advantage after the first 5:21 and Osgood hit from beyond the arc to give the Panthers a 16-9 cushion a minute later. Eastern chipped away, tying the game at 18-apiece after senior Collin Jordan (Cheshire, Conn.) got to the basket with 11:11 left in the opening half.

            The Warriors would take the lead for good on the next possession. Plymouth remained within striking distance, but an 11-0 run gave the hosts a 36-21 advantage with 7:33 remaining in the half. PSU trimmed the deficit to 39-28 following a pair of free throws from freshman Ruay Bol (South Portland, Maine), but the Warriors answered with a 20-2 run to close the half leading 59-30.

            ECSU came out firing to open the second half, using a 16-2 run over the first 3:29 to put the game out of reach and the Panthers never threatened.

            Leroy finishes the year with a team-best 593 points (23.7 ppg), the 15th highest scoring average in the nation. Osgood scored 557 (21.4 ppg) to finish just outside the top-30 in the country.

            The loss marks the end of the careers of seniors Collin Sullivan (Plymouth, N.H.) and Kieran Beck (Danvers, Mass.). Sullivan, known for his trademark defense and ability to draw charges, finished his senior campaign averaging 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game, both in the top-ten of the Little East. Beck, a force in the low post, finished fifth in the league with 6.9 rebounds per game.

            The Warriors advance to the semifinal round where they will host fourth-seeded Western Connecticut State University on Friday night.

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