DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by a game-high 23-point performance from graduate student
Yasmine Santos, the UMass Dartmouth women's basketball team defeated Western Connecticut State University, 69-56, on Saturday afternoon in Little East Conference (LEC) action. The Corsairs collect their second conference win to improve to a 2-3 LEC mark while the Wolves dropped to 1-5 in league play.
After a quiet start to the game, senior guard
Kasey Oliver posted two good free throws to give the Corsairs a 2-0 edge. First year guard
Jillian Doherty then scored the next five points for UMass Dartmouth highlighted by a triple off the assist from Santos to make it a 7-2 game. After senior guard
Melanie DeMeo posted a good jump shot for her first points of the contest, the Wolves battled back with seven late points to narrow the Corsairs lead down to 13-11.
First year guard
Riley Graveline made an immediate impact after checking into the second quarter and banking in a triple at the 7:17 mark. UMass Dartmouth continued to build momentum, going on a 7-0 run highlighted by a three-point shot from DeMeo to grab a 23-13 advantage midway through the quarter. After Leana Heitmann clipped in a triple for the Wolves, Santos kicked off a 10-point run for the Corsairs by scoring seven straight points followed by a three-pointer from senior guard
Cristina Negron to pull away with a 17-point cushion. Both teams exchanged late free throws in the final minute of play, but UMass Dartmouth held on to a dominant 34-20 lead at the break.
Santos and Oliver each laid in a basket for the Corsairs to start the third quarter of the game. Western Connecticut State then fought back with a 9-2 run to make it 40-31 with 4:59 on the clock. The Corsairs responded with six unanswered points featuring two good free throws from Doherty and a basket apiece from Negron and Santos to regain a 46-31 edge. Graduate student guard
Kaila Pruitt and DeMeo each posted a triple to give the home squad a 52-36 lead entering the final quarter of action.
Sara Macary opened the fourth with two quick baskets for the Wolves to make it 52-40. Negron answered with a made three-pointer followed by four more points from Santos to extend their advantage to 19-points. At the 6:00 mark, DeMeo drained another triple off the feed from Oliver secure a 62-42 lead. Shortly after, first year guard
Carly McDonald finished a driving basket inside the paint before dishing the ball out to Santos for a long range shot to take a 21-point advantage, their largest lead of the afternoon. Despite the Wolves scoring the last eight points of the contest, the Corsairs sealed the conference victory by a final score of 69-56 from the Tripp Athletic Center.
Santos finished the game with a game-high 23 points (7-16 FG, 1-2 3FG, 8-12 FT) along with nine rebounds, three steals, and an assist. DeMeo posted her eighth double-digit effort with 17 points (4-11 FG, 3-7 3FG, 6-8 FT) as well as five boards and one assist. Negron scored eight points (3-7 FG) for the Corsairs highlighted by a pair of triples and one assist. Doherty recorded career-highs with seven points (2-6 FG, 1-5 3FG, 2-2 FT) as well as four blocked shots against the Wolves in addition to three rebounds and a steal.
UMass Dartmouth travels to Southern Maine for their next Little East tilt on Wednesday, January 14 starting at 2:00 p.m.
