WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Following the script of both regular-season games against Castleton University, Eastern Connecticut State University rebounded from a lethargic and close first half to pull away for a double-digit win over the undermanned Spartans, moving into the semifinals of the Little East Conference women's basketball tournament with a 56-37 first-round victory Tuesday evening at Geissler Gymnasium.
Second-seeded Eastern (18-8) takes a 12-game winning streak into Thursday's 5:30 p.m. home LEC semifinal game against third-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (19-7), which routed sixth-seeded Massachusetts Boston, 91-51, in its Tuesday first-round game. Seventh-seeded Castleton (12-13) ends its season on a five-game losing streak.
Eastern, which has never led by more than six points at halftime in any of its three games this year against Castleton, expanded a five-point halftime lead to 13 after three quarters Tuesday, and the Spartans managed only seven fourth-quarter points on 2-of-12 shooting.
Senior forward Anna Barry (Andover) sparked Eastern's decisive third quarter by scoring 11 of her game-high 21 points en route to posting her ninth double-double in the last 13 games. The LEC leader in field goal percentage (as well as rebounding and blocked shots), Barry was 10-of-12 from the floor and also led both teams with ten rebounds in moving to within 44 points of 1,000.
Castleton had only seven players in uniform, with four starters playing at least 31 minutes.
Senior guard Julie Keckler (Trumbull) added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists for Eastern, which has won its last six at home since dropping a 71-45 decision to top-seeded Rhode Island College.
The Warriors turned the ball over only eight times – their second-lowest total of the season and their lowest total since the fifth game of the season.
Graduate guard Kelly Vuz (Blairstown, NJ) led the Spartans with 15 points. Junior guard Elise Magro (Rutland, VT), Castleton's leading scorer this year, did not play.
The LEC tournament win was Eastern's fifth straight since losing at Massachusetts Dartmouth, 76-63, in the first round of the 2018 tournament. The Warriors won titles each of the next two years after that first-round loss before cancelling last year's season.
During the regular season, Eastern defeated UMass Dartmouth at home by ten points Dec. 8 before dropping a two-point decision in the re-match Jan. 17. Against the Corsairs, Barry has averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the floor and 11-of-14 marksmanship from the foul line, with seven blocks. Keckler has averaged 16 points and five assists against UMass Dartmouth, connecting on 15 of 16 free throws.