WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Still without one starter and two key reserves, Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball returned home to Geissler Gymnasium to face Little East Conference preseason favorite Rhode Island College for the first time since the 2020 Little East Conference Championship game.
Looking to move within a half game of their conference rivals, the Warriors (6-7, 3-1 LEC) were unable to overcome a 41-point second half performance by the Anchorwoman (9-4, 5-0 LEC), dropping a 71-45 decision on Wednesday night to fall to 3-1 in conference play.
Eastern would dictate the pace early on after sophomore guard Ashanti Frazier hit the back end of two free throws to put Rhode Island College ahead by one in the opening three minutes. Spearheaded by a pair of layups by junior forward Mariah Dunn (Meriden), three points each by senior guard Danielle O'Brien (Rockland, MA) and senior forward Aiyana Ward (Waterbury), and a pair of free throws by junior guard Martha Chatman (Meriden), the Warriors used an 12-0 run to take a commanding 11-point lead with 3:33 remaining in the opening frame.
The Anchorwoman would answer quickly with a trio of three-pointers over the final three minutes and change, all aided by first-year guard Madison Medbury to storm back and trail by only four, 16-12 heading into the second quarter. The Warriors would finish the first quarter having shot 6-of-11 (54.5%) from the field and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe en route to their early lead.
However, Rhode Island College would carry over their first quarter momentum and embark on a 15-2 run spanning over four minutes between the two quarters to regain a two-point edge over Eastern. The Little East Conference rivals would exchange baskets back in forth over the final seven minutes of the second quarter to the tune of five lead changes which resulted in the Anchorwoman taking a one-point lead, 30-29 heading into the halftime break. After shooting just 4-for-15 (26.6%) and missing five of six free throw attempts in the first quarter, Rhode Island College responded with an 8-for-17 (47%) performance from the field while Eastern made just 3-of-12 (25%) attempts from the field.
Junior guard Maci Dorantes led the way for the Anchorwoman through the first half with nine points while hitting three of her four attempts from long range in just nine minutes. Getting all her teammates involved, Frazier recorded a team-high six assists in 15 minutes while adding another three points and three boards for Rhode Island College. For the Warriors, it was the hot shooting performance from Dunn who went 3-for-5 with eight points and six rebounds in 19 first half minutes to pace Eastern.
Emerging from locker room, the Anchorwoman set the tone early, going on a quick 7-0 run to open up an eight-point lead over the Warriors. The run would be broken up by junior guard Jaclyn Santella (Hebron) who came off the bench for Eastern to play 19 minutes and score eight points on 3-of-5 shooting for the evening. Santella's two-point basket broke up the Rhode Island College run and brought the Warriors back within six. That would be the closest Eastern got before the Anchorwoman used a 12-0 run from a pair of threes from senior guard Maire Gallagher and pair of layups from senior guard Abby Phelan mixed in with a Medbury layup to break open an 18-point lead, 53-35, over the Warriors.
Rhode Island College would begin the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run as Eastern would go over seven minutes between the third and fourth quarter without recording a basket. The drought would be brought to a halt by sophomore guard Cara McGettigan (Southbury) who came off the bench to play six minutes down the stretch for the Warriors who ultimately fell by 26 points and dropped to 6-7 on the year. McGettigan would finish the evening shooting 3-for-4 from the floor, recording six points which tied her career-high set back in November versus Baruch College.
Sophomore forward Emily Jeamel (Manchester) would have another strong performance off the bench for Eastern, playing in a career-high 15 minutes, Jeamel finished the game with two points and five rebounds while making her presence felt on the defensive end of the floor.
University of Bridgeport transfer and first-year guard Hannah Barrientos (Southbury) made her first appearance in a Warrior uniform and at the collegiate level. Barrientos recorded her first collegiate points, converting on a layup in the final minute of play after earning her first collegiate steal, and grabbing her first collegiate rebound with 1:23 remaining in the game.
As a team, Eastern would shoot just under 30% for the game, including 1-for-13 from three after shooting 54% in the first quarter and making one of their two three-point attempts. The Anchorwoman would capitalize off of 19 Warrior turnovers to score 22 points as well as see ample production from their bench which scored 36 points to Eastern's 21 bench points.
Eastern will now have a six-day break as their Little East Conference home game against Castleton University this Saturday was postponed and is set to be rescheduled for a date and time to be determined. The Warriors will return to action next Tuesday against Little East Conference rival Keene State College at Spaulding Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM. The two have not played each other since the 2019-2020 season in which Eastern took both matchups by double-digit point margins. The Warriors have won their last six matchups against the Owls with the last loss coming during the 2016-2017 season in the Little East Conference Tournament Championship in Geissler Gymnasium, 71-58.