Gorham, Maine-Freshman guard Jess Korzec (West Brookfield, MA) scored a team-high 13 points and sophomore guard Alex Moore (West Newbury, MA) added 10 more, but it wouldn't be enough as the Rhode Island College women's basketball team fell, 56-49, at Southern Maine in Little East Conference action on Tuesday night.
The two squads traded baskets early, but a three-pointer by Anchorwomen (2-11, 1-3 LEC) junior guard Michelle Lagrotteria (Niantic, CT) with 10:01 left sparked a 10-0 RIC run to take the 22-11 advantage with 8:01 remaining. The Huskies (7-7, 3-1 LEC) responded with a quick, 6-0, run to cut the RIC advantage down to five, 22-17.
RIC sophomore guard Jessica Patalano (Exeter, RI) buried a jump shot off a feed from Lagrotteria with 1:34 left to make the score 24-17, which is where it would stay entering halftime.
RIC shot 37.5 percent in the half, while USM converted on 25.0 percent of their shots from the floor.
The Huskies jumped out quickly in the second half and cut the RIC lead down to one, 26-25, junior forward Megan Pelletier (Winslow, ME) converted a layup with 16:05 left in the game. The two teams traded the lead over the next nine minutes with a layup by Korzec cutting a USM lead to one, 36-35. That was as close as the Anchorwomen would come however as strong defense and timely free throw shooting by the Huskies stymied any comeback bid. Pelletier sealed the game in the last 30 seconds, by burying a pair of free throws.
RIC was led by Korzec's 13 points, five boards and four steals, while Moore chipped in 10 points and three boards. The Anchorwomen shot 31.5 percent from the floor (17-for-54), 26.7 percent (4-for-15) from behind the three-point arc and 73.3 percent (11-for-15) from the charity stripe.
USM was led by Pelletier's 22 points, while junior forward Ella Ramonas (Portland, ME) recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. The Huskies shot 36.5 percent (19-for-52) from the field, 16.7 percent (1-for-6) from downtown and 65.4 percent (17-for-26) from the charity stripe.
USM held a 41-34 edge in rebounding, while holding a commanding, 32-6, lead in points in the paint.
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue Little East Conference action at home against Plymouth State on Saturday, January 17 (1 p.m.).