KSC Also Gets Combined 11 Assists From Rautiola, Murray in Win

KEENE, N.H. – Junior Samantha Lee (Clifton Park, N.Y.) posted a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double on 5-for-11 shooting and the Keene State College women's basketball team forced Worcester State University into 28 turnovers as they gained separation in the second half to post a 58-48 pre-Thanksgiving victory on Tuesday night at Spaulding Gymnasium.

Records

• Keene State:    3-2
• Worcester State:  1-5

Postgame Interview (Coach Boucher)
Postgame Interview (Samantha Lee)

How It Happened
Playing at home for the first time since their season opener on November 8, the Owls also moved over .500 again for the first time since that night behind three double-digit scorers.  Brynn Rautiola scored 13 points, including eight in the second half, while Aryanna Murray and Lee each had 12, combining for 37 of KSC's 58 points.  Rautiola added six rebounds, six assists, and four steals, while Murray chipped in five assists, four rebounds, and three steals.  The Owls' leading trio also pestered Worcester State on the defensive end, racking up eight of KSC's 11 steals.  The Lancers turned the ball over 28 times, which resulted in taking 16 fewer shots than Keene State, who also enjoyed a 14-7 edge in second chance points thanks to Lee (6) and Murray's (4) combined 10 offensive rebounds.

KSC started strong, opening an 8-1 lead in less than three minutes as Valerie Luizzi and Murray each canned threes.  It was still 13-8 after Lee's layup with 2:51 to go in the opening quarter, but the Lancers eventually clawed back to take their first lead (14-13) not even two minutes into the second following baskets on consecutive possessions from Alana Smith and Cam Watkins.  It was back-and-forth over the rest of the half from there, as the Owls made just 1-of-6 tries from long distance in the second quarter after a 3-for-5 start.  Worcester State made 47 percent of their field goal attempts in that period and took leads of 18-17 after the Owls went up three and 26-25 with 26 seconds left in the half after KSC was up 24-20 at the 2:36 mark courtesy of a triple by Rautiola.  Luizzi weaved in the lane for a nice finish on the Owls' final offensive possession of the half to give KSC a 27-26 lead at the break.

The Lancers actually shot 44 percent in the opening 20 minutes – 11 percentage points higher than KSC – but were forced into 14 turnovers and saw the Owls rack up five steals and seven offensive boards.  Keene State's defensive activity forced misses in the second half in addition to turnovers (14 more), as the Lancers were limited to just 8-for-23 (35 percent) from the floor and in turn slowly saw the game slip away after the opening minutes of the third quarter.  Watkins gave the visitors a 33-31 lead with a jumper after grabbing a board in the prior 15 seconds on the other end, but they found themselves down four just 50 seconds later as Avery Stewart and Luizzi each drained threes for a 37-33 lead at the 5:25 mark and were the major pieces of a 10-0 run that put KSC up 41-33 with just under four minutes to go into the quarter when Murray eurostepped past a defender for a layup.  It seemed the back-and-forth with Worcester continuously hanging around would continue, as the Lancers reeled off a 7-0 surge in 46 seconds to get right back within one (41-40) with 1:33 left, but Rautiola – as she did in KSC's last outing at Colby-Sawyer College – delivered a big three to halt the opponents' momentum 17 seconds later.  She then picked the ball from Katie Hurynowicz in the waning seconds of the quarter, eventually resulting in a Luizzi feed to Lee for a layup and a 46-40 lead after three.  The Owls opened the fourth with consecutive inside buckets from Sarah Moyer and Rautiola to push the lead to double-digits (50-40) with 8:52 left.  KSC did not do much scoring from there – but then again, neither did the Lancers, as KSC held them to only two field goals in the final quarter.  The combined scoring drought of the team approached five minutes before a three-point play from Rautiola provided a game-high 53-40 lead at the 3:55 mark.  Alibrandi's layup off a Murray pass with a little over two minutes left bumped the lead back to 11 after the Lancers quietly shaved four off it, and the Owls did not have much trouble closing out the final minutes.  Worcester got within seven on Nyah Thomas' three with 59 seconds to go, but Alibrandi canned a three to answer on KSC's ensuing trip to snuff out whatever sliver of hope was left for the visitors.

Watkins made five of six shots to tie for a team-best in scoring with Abby St. Martin (12 points apiece) to pace the Lancers.  St. Martin made two of six from distance and also grabbed six rebounds, while Watkins grabbed eight boards and had two helpers and two blocks.

The Owls connected on 42 percent of their shots from the field in the fourth quarter and ultimately outscored Worcester State 31-22 in the second half.

Inside the Paint

• Rautiola has scored in double-figures in four of her first five career games.  She also has 15 assists, including three or more in four different games.  Her six tonight were a new high.
• Murray has 12 assists over the last three games.
• Lee is 10-for-21 shooting over the last three games, and has three 10-rebound games in five chances thus far this season.
• KSC snapped a five-game losing streak in the series and have won five of the seven all-time meetings in Keene (10 of 16 overall).

Up Next

• Keene State travels to face Vermont State University Johnson (1-4) next Tuesday (November 28) at 6:00 p.m.  The Badgers' lone win is against Vermont State University Randolph (formerly Vermont Technical College).  They lost 82-27 at the University of Hartford and 77-44 at Norwich University last week, and will have not played in 11 days when they meet the Owls.
• Worcester State, who was held to a season-low matching 48 points for the second time in three games, visits New England College (3-3) on the same day (Tuesday, November 28) at 7:00 p.m.