Danbury, Conn.-Junior forward Devin Hill (Danielson, CT) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, while freshman guard Jess Korzec (West Brookfield, MA) chipped in 12 points, as the Rhode Island College women's basketball team dropped a crucial Little East Conference contest to Western Connecticut, 66-45, at Feldman Arena on Tuesday night.
The Anchorwomen (6-16, 4-7 LEC) started the game on fire, with a Korzec layup opening up a 6-0 lead just 2:36 in to the game. RIC opened the lead to seven, 10-3, on a pair of Hill free throws with 14:16 to play.
The Colonials (15-7, 5-6 LEC) responded by buckling down on defense and chipping away to finally take the lead, 18-17, on a jump shot by senior guard Caroline Brasa (East Hartford, CT) with 3:55 left in the stanza. Western continued to lock down on the defensive end, outscoring the Anchorwomen 11-2 over the final 3:55 to take a 10-point, 29-19 lead into the break.
RIC struggled from the floor in the first half, shooting just 21.2 percent in the frame. Western also struggled in the half, shooting 35.7 percent from the floor and going 0-for-5 from downtown.
The second half began as a seesaw battle, with a jump shot from RIC sophomore forward Jill Paladino (Arlington, MA) cutting the Western lead down to nine, 41-32, with just 10:25 to play. An 11-0 run by Western, capped by a pair of free throws from sophomore guard Colleen Cosker (East Hartford, CT), upped the host's lead to 20, 52-32, with 7:18 left in the game. RIC cut the deficit down to 16, but that is as close as they would come down the stretch as the Colonials finished with a 66-45 victory.
Korzec's 12 points led the Anchorwomen. RIC shot 29.3 percent from the floor (17-for-58), 14.3 percent (2-for-14) from behind the three-point arc and 50.0 percent (9-for-18) from the charity stripe.
Brasa scored 18 points and hauled in seven boards for the Colonials with sophomore guard Samantha Smith (Wallingford, CT) leading the Colonials with 21 points off the bench. Western shot 35.6 percent (21-for-59) from the field, 23.1 percent (3-for-13) from downtown and 67.7 percent (21-for-31) from the charity stripe.
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue Little East Conference action at home against Southern Maine on Saturday, Feb. 14 (1 p.m.).