WBB: VTSU Castleton holds off Panthers despite Wilcox's big game

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University women's basketball team fell to the Vermont State University Castleton Spartans, 74-61, in Little East Conference (LEC) action at Foley Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.

Junior Bri Wilcox (Londonderry, N.H.) took over in the second quarter, shooing 6-of-10 from the field for all 12 of the Panthers' points. VTSU Castleton led by 16, 35-19, with less than three minutes before halftime, but Wilcox scored three buckets in the final minute to cut the margin to 35-25 at the break.

Wilcox continued her torrid pace in the second half, helping whittle the deficit down to three on several occasions. It was still just a two-possession game with 1:20 to play, as PSU trailed 64-59, but the Spartans closed out the game with a 10-2 run with all ten points coming at the free throw line to squash the Panthers' comeback hopes.

Wilcox matched a career-high with 28 points, while graduate student Lea Crompton (Dunbarton, N.H.) added ten points of her own. Sophomore Hailey Malozzi (Maynard, Mass.) put forth a solid effort, scoring eight points and seven rebounds in the losing effort for the Panthers. Wilcox recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season.

While a win would have secured Plymouth State's first full-season postseason berth since the 2017-18 season, the Panthers (9-12, 5-8 LEC) still control their own destiny.

PSU holds a one-game lead over VTSU Castleton (10-12, 4-9 LEC) for the final playoff spot, with both teams closing out the regular season with league games against UMass Boston, Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut State in the coming ten days.

The Basics:

• Plymouth State 61, VTSU Castleton 74
  • Plymouth State (9-12, 5-8 LEC)
  • VTSU Castleton (10-12, 4-9 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Bri Wilcox (28 pts, 12-28 fg, 8 reb, 3 blk)
• Lea Crompton (10 pts, 4 reb, 7 ast)
• Hailey Malozzi (8 pts, 3-8 fg, 7 reb)

How it Happened:

• The Spartans took an early 7-2 lead three minutes into the contest.
• VTSU Castleton maintained a two-possession advantage (19-13) at the end of the first quarter.
• The Spartans pulled out quickly to start the second quarter, recording the first seven points to increase the margin to 26-13 with 7:04 until halftime.
• Plymouth State registered the final six points of the second quarter to close the gap to 35-25 at the half.
• The teams traded buckets to open the third quarter, with the Spartans enjoying a nine-point advantage (42-33) midway through the frame.
• The Panthers jumped on a 13-4 run to get to within three (49-46) with 8:06 left in the fourth quarter.
• Castleton responded with a 9-3 run of its own, jumping back out 62-53 with 2:58 on the clock.
• Forced to foul, the Panthers tried to claw back into the game late, but the Spartans managed to knock down 12 shots from the charity stripe in the final two minutes of play to go home with the conference victory.

By the Numbers:

• Wilcox also scored 28 points in a win at WestConn in early December.
• Plymouth State went 25-of-73 (34.2%) from the floor and 4-of-17 (23.5%) from three.
• The Spartans knocked down 23-of-24 free throw attempts.
• PSU recorded 37 rebounds, bringing down 16 on the offensive glass.
• The Panthers forced 21 opponent turnovers to the teams' 16.
• Bench points were in VTSU Castleton's favor, 12-11.
• Points off turnovers were in Plymouth State's favor, 19-8.
• Points in the paint went to Plymouth State, 28-20.
• The Panthers are now 16-18 in the head-to-head matchup dating back to 1990.

Up Next:

• Plymouth State will honor its seniors prior to Saturday's (Feb. 10) contest with UMass Boston. Opening tip is set for 1:00 p.m. at Foley Gymnasium.

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