Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Utilizing a 21-4 run over the final eight minutes of play, including 14 points from junior Leah Douty (Framingham, Mass.), the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth dug out from a 16-point deficit, roaring back to defeat Plymouth State 66-65 in the fourth quarter on Saturday.
The Basics
Score: UMass Dartmouth 66, Plymouth State 65
Records: UMass Dartmouth (16-3, 7-2 LEC) | Plymouth State (5-13, 2-7 LEC)
How it Happened
With the score knotted at 29 at half, Plymouth State came out gunning in the third quarter. The Panthers registered the first seven points including five by senior Ace Lawrence (Middletown, Conn.). After UMass Dartmouth cut within five, Plymouth State kept adding distance at the hand of Lawrence. The visitors built the lead to 13 with five-straight points by the senior, and a traditional three-point play by senior Leah Swanson (Atkinson, N.H.) at its highest point thus far, 52-38. With the final 10 minutes beginning, the Corsairs trailed 54-42.
Lawrence and Douty traded baskets over the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, and the Panthers' lead ballooned to 16 at the 8:30 mark. Douty sparked the comeback, beginning the Corsairs' resounding run with a jumper. UMass Dartmouth did not allow a Plymouth State basket for the next six minutes, while Douty hit a pair of 3-pointers to cut the deficit to three points.
With 40 ticks remaining, Plymouth State's Kayla Wyland (Melrose, Mass.) sunk a lay-up out of a timeout, building the lead back to four. On the trip down, Douty notched her fifth 3-pointer of the quarter, putting the hosts back within one with just 30 seconds left. A Panther turnover led to a lay-up by sophomore Nakira Examond (New Bedford, Mass.) at 12 seconds, and after corresponding timeouts, UMass Dartmouth got possession back with a five-second in-bound violation on Plymouth State. The Panthers missed a chance at the buzzer, preserving the comeback for the Corsairs.
Inside the Numbers
- UMass Dartmouth continues its best start in program history, rising to 16-3. The previous best start for a Corsair team came during the 1978-79 season, with a 15-4 start. That team ended 16-7 overall.
- Douty finished with a career-high 26 points (9-of-19 shooting), punctuating her line with six rebounds, two assists and two steals. She went 6-fo-10 from beyond the arc, with five of her 3-pointers coming in the fourth quarter alone. In the second half, she put in 19 points.
- Lawrence led all scorers, registering 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting with a 5-of-7 performance from beyond the arc. Wyland added 19 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
- Examond was the only other Corsair to reach double-figures, as she saw her double-double streak halted with 11 points and a game-high nine boards.
- The Panthers are the first team this season to out-rebound the Corsairs by double-digits, using a relentless effort on the boards to hold a 46-36 advantage on the game.
- The Corsairs extend their win streak to five games, all in LEC play, and earn a season-sweep of Plymouth State for the fifth-straight season.
Up Next
The Corsairs will travel for a non-conference tilt next, meeting Regis (Mass.) on Tuesday with game time set for 6 p.m. Plymouth State will play host to LEC leader Eastern Connecticut next Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m.
