WBB: Panthers fall at Southern Maine in LEC Tournament

GORHAM, Maine – The sixth-seeded Plymouth State University women's basketball team fell to the third-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies, 65-55, in the first round of the Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball tournament at Warren G. Hill Gymnasium on Tuesday evening.

The Panthers' most successful season in over a decade comes to a close after a medley of individual and team accomplishments which led Plymouth State back into the LEC tournament for the first full season in six years. Southern Maine advances to face second-seeded UMass Dartmouth in semifinal action on Thursday.

USM used the three-point shot to build a five-point lead, 12-7, at the end of the first quarter. Plymouth State scored the first five points of the second, but the hosts responded to maintain a narrow cushion and a three-pointer as time expired gave the Huskies a 29-21 lead at the half.

Southern Maine pushed the margin to as many as 17 in the third quarter, but a late run by the Panthers trimmed the deficit to 47-37 entering the fourth. Back-to-back buckets made it a six-point game, 47-41, in the opening minute, but that was as close as PSU would get.

Three Panthers scored in double-digits, as junior Bri Wilcox (Londonderry, N.H.) led the charge with 16 points, while graduate student Lea Crompton (Dunbarton, N.H.). recorded 12 points of her own. Sophomore Hailey Malozzi (Maynard, Mass.) registered 10 points in the losing effort for Plymouth State.

Plymouth State ends the 2023-24 season with an 11-14 overall record, tallying the most wins in 14 years.

The Basics:

• Plymouth State 55, Southern Maine 65
  • Plymouth State (11-14)
  • Southern Maine (14-13)

Top Performers:

• Bri Wilcox (16 pts, 5-15 fg, 6 reb, 6 stl)
• Lea Crompton (12 pts, 4-11 fg, 1-2, 3pt, 3-3 ft)
• Hailey Malozzi (10 pts, 3-5 fg, 9 reb)

How it Happened:

• The Huskies started with a 9-4 advantage with 6:20 on the clock in the opening quarter.
• Plymouth State cut the deficit to two points (9-7) at the 4:15 mark in the first.
• Southern Maine knocked down the final three-pointer of a low scoring first quarter to take a 12-7 advantage after the first ten minutes of play.
• The Panthers tied things up 12-12 in the first minute of action in the second quarter.
• USM jumped back in front 29-21 at the halftime break.
• Seven unanswered points midway through the third quarter put the Huskies out in front 41-25 with 3:05 left on the clock.
• An 8-1 run to end the third put the Panthers in striking distance, 47-37 with one quarter left to play.
• The Panthers scored the first four points of the fourth to get to within six points (47-41) with 9:03 left in regulation.
• Southern Maine pulled back out to a double-digit lead, 54-44, with 6:31 remaining.
• The Panthers were able to get to as close as seven points at the 2:22 mark, but the Huskies managed to hold off any late comeback attempt in the end.

By the Numbers:

• Plymouth State went 16-of-48 (33.3%) from the floor and 4-of-13 (30.8%) from three.
• Rebounds were in favor of the Huskies by a 37-32 margin.
• Bench points went to the Huskies, 20-14.
• Plymouth State led in points off turnovers, 19-13, as the team doubled up USM on turnovers, 14-7.
• Points in the paint were led by Southern Maine, 20-12.
• The Panthers ended the season with the most conference wins (seven) in more than 20 years.
• Plymouth State's 11 overall wins were the most for the women's basketball team in 14 years.
• Head coach Curtis Arsenault is the first former Panther to record 1,000 career points (2013-17) and coach a 1,000 point scorer (Crompton) while at Plymouth State.

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