Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Eastern Connecticut poured in 11 of its 17 tries from 3-point range on Saturday, halting the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's eight-game win streak on Senior Day with an 80-62 defeat of the Corsairs at the Tripp Athletic Center.
The Basics
Score: Eastern Connecticut 80, UMass Dartmouth 62
Records: Eastern Connecticut (17-6, 11-1 LEC) | UMass Dartmouth (19-4, 9-3 LEC)
How it Happened
Tenacious defense by UMass Dartmouth in the first quarter gave the hosts a slight, early edge. Halfway into the frame, senior Rachel McCarron (Groton, Mass.) drew the score even at eight and sparked a quick 6-0 streak for the Corsairs. On ECSU's end, UMass Dartmouth forced seven Warrior turnovers in the first 10 minutes, but five straight points from Jordyn Nappi (Southington, Conn.), including a 3-pointer as time ticked away, knotted the margin at 18.
The Warriors then found their rhythm in the second quarter, overtaking the lead at the first basket. Senior Julia DePoi (Brookfield, Conn.) and freshman Sabrina LeMere (North Branford, Conn.) sunk back-to-back long-range baskets during a three-minute Corsair dry spell, putting ECSU up seven, and two Lexis Foster (Groton, Conn.) foul shots extended the margin to 10 with 1:45 left. Again, Nappi would register from 3-point land in the final minute, as the visitors carried a 39-30 lead into the break.
Despite Corsair junior Chelsea Houlihan's (Wolcott, Conn.) eight points in the third quarter, a bucket by freshman Mya Villard (Cromwell, Conn.) at 4:30 sealed ECSU's double-digit advantage for good. Early in the fourth, UMass Dartmouth thrice edged back within 10 points, but the Warriors made good on 13 of 14 free throw chances in the final four and half minutes of play while the Corsairs struggled from long range.
Inside the Numbers
- With the victory, Eastern Connecticut secures a share of the Little East Conference regular-season title for the third-straight season and the top seed for the conference tournament.
- McCarron went 6-for-12 from the field for a team-high 16 points, with sophomore Nakira Examond (New Bedford, Mass.) totaling 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
- Houlihan generated 12 points, her second-highest total of the season, along with a game-high seven assists and three steals.
- Nappi, DePoi and Kelly Reardon (Holyoke, Mass.) combined for nine of ECSU's 11 3-point baskets, with Nappi posting a game-high 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting.
- UMass Dartmouth grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to ECSU's five, but ultimately both teams closed the contest with an even 32 rebounds apiece.
- The Warriors torched the Corsairs with 24-of-45 (53 percent) shooting on the game, while UMass Dartmouth made just 25 of 66 (37 percent) field goal opportunities.
- The Warriors gather a season-sweep of UMass Dartmouth for the first season since 2011, and have won three-straight dating back to last season's LEC Semifinal contest.
Up Next
UMass Dartmouth plays host to UMass Boston for its final regular-season home contest on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., while Eastern Connecticut entertains Keene State on the same date and time.
