Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Using 44 combined points from the duo of senior Rachel McCarron (Groton, Mass.) and sophomore Nakira Examond (New Bedford, Mass.), the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's basketball squad claimed its third-straight win with a strong fourth quarter, downing Western Connecticut 73-59 at the Tripp Center on Sunday.
The Basics
Score: UMass Dartmouth 73, Western Connecticut 59
Records: UMass Dartmouth (10-2, 2-1 LEC) | Western Connecticut (9-4, 2-1 LEC)
How it Happened
The Colonials used a hot start to jump out to a seven-point lead from the opening tip, seeing three-straight 3-pointers and five total in the opening six minutes. Pounding the ball in the paint, the Corsairs climbed back and tied the score at 16 near the end of the first quarter on an Examond foul shot. Through the second, the Corsairs slowly gained control, embarking on a 10-3 run in the final seven minutes of the half. McCarron notched a jumper to put UMass Dartmouth up 12 with two minutes left, and the Corsairs carried a 33-22 lead into the break.
At 4:02 in the third quarter, WCSU's Kaitlyn LaBonte (South Windsor, Conn.) buried a 3-pointer, sparking a 12-2 Colonial run that would even the score at 45 with a minute and half remaining in the stanza. On the next play, sophomore Danyel Gonzalez (Providence, R.I.) muscled her way to a lay-up and then swatted a block on the return down the court, ultimately switching the momentum back in the Corsairs' favor for good. UMass Dartmouth generated a 12-0 run to close the third and begin the fourth, building the lead back to 12 while Examond posted 10 of her 23 points in the final quarter to hold off the visitors.
Inside the Numbers
- Examond registered her third-straight 20-plus point performance, finishing with a game-high 23 points (10-of-17 from the field) and 14 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. In the past three games alone, she has accounted for 65 points and 38 boards.
- McCarron posted a new career-high scoring total with 21 points on 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) shooting from the field.
- Three Colonials, including senior Emily Dobson (Westerly, R.I.), sophomore Jancy Sherwood (Poughquag, N.Y.) and LaBonte finished in double-figures. Dobson and Sherwood each generated 15 points and LaBonte 10.
- UMass Dartmouth snapped an eight-game win streak for the second-straight outing, handing the Colonials their first LEC loss on the season and first loss since Nov. 22.
- As a unit, the hosts overwhelmed WCSU in the paint, holding the Colonials to just 12 inside points while producing 46 on the offensive end and out-rebounding the visitors 53-30.
- The Corsairs produced a season-high eight blocks on the contest, with three coming at the hands of junior Alicia Kutil (Franklin, Mass.). Gonzalez and junior Chelsea Houlihan (Wolcott, Conn.) each posted two blocks.
- After dropping both meetings with the Colonials last season, the Corsairs pick up their first win over WCSU since 2014. All-time, WCSU holds a 39-13 advantage in the series.
Up Next
UMass Dartmouth will be back to the court for the second-straight day tomorrow, hosting Worcester State for a non-conference tilt at the Tripp Center beginning at 6 p.m. Western Connecticut continues league play on Wednesday, hosting Keene State at 5:30 p.m.
