On Seniors' Day, Eastern Connecticut Clinches LEC First-Round Bye

Game Leaders

Plymouth State
Pts: Alessia Salzillo - 23
Reb: Chenysse Hill - 7
Ast: Alessia Salzillo - 3
Eastern Connecticut
Pts: Anna Barry - 20
Reb: 2 Players (#21, #45 - 7)
Ast: Sabrina LeMere - 5

Team Stats

Plymouth State
Eastern Connecticut

Field Goals

(17-44)
(25-59)

Field Goal %

38.6%
42.4%

Rebounds

29
37

Assists

3
14

Turnovers

20
8

Pts off Turnovers

6
22

2nd Chance Pts

3
13

Pts in the Paint

6
36

Fastbreak Pts

0
0

Bench Pts

15
25
full stats
Feb 15, 2020

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Sophomore Anna Barry (Andover) had 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 from the free throw line when the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 67-47 Little East Conference win over Plymouth State University Saturday afternoon at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

The victory gives Eastern (19-4, 12-2 LEC) a first-round LEC tournament bye into the semifinals Feb. 27 and keeps the Warriors a half-game ahead of Rhode Island College for the regular-season title and No. 1 seed. RIC (12-3 LEC) closes out the regular season Wednesday hosting Western Connecticut, while Eastern hosts Keene State College Wednesday and wraps up the regular season at Castleton University Saturday.

By virtue of sweeping Eastern in the regular season, Rhode Island will be seeded No. 1 in the tournament if its finishes the regular season tied with Eastern. The teams would share the regular-season title.

Eastern's defense limited Plymouth (4-19, 0-14 LEC) to single digit points in the first and fourth quarters,  but struggled throughout most of the game, leading by only four at halftime. Behind Barry, Eastern outscored the Panthers, 22-9, in the decisive fourth quarter. In those final ten minutes, Barry scored on a successive of left-handed drives to the basket. She also had two steals in the quarter.

The six-foot Barry led Eastern with 20 points – converting eight of ten field goals – and also had six rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocked shots.  Senior forward Mya Villard (Cromwell) added 15 points and seven rebounds. She was 5-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 form the foul line, with senior guard Sabrina LeMere (North Branford) adding 11 points, five assists and four rebounds. She was 5-of-9 from the floor.

Freshman guard Alessia Salzillo paced Plymouth with a game-high 23 points and had four rebounds.

Eastern honored its four seniors after the game: Villard, LeMere, Tara Prochorena (Colchester) and Lizzy Cretella (Cheshire).

Eastern hosts Keene State Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.