PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Despite shooting 43.1 percent from the floor six weeks ago against Rhode Island College, the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball managed to trim the Anchorwomen in overtime in the Little East Conference opener between the schools at Geissler Gymnasium.

At right: Brianna Leonard

Saturday, the Warriors connected on 52.2 percent of their field goals – their second-best showing in a conference game this year – but it wasn't enough to avoid a 61-57 loss to the Anchorwomen in the return engagement at the Murray Center. The difference this time came at the foul line and in the turnover column. Eastern scored ten less points from the stripe this time – missing half of 14 attempts after nailing 17-of-19 in the December win -- and Rhode Island commited half as many turnovers on its home court.

The teams entered play sharing first place in the conference. Winners of six straight games and nine in of its last 10 contests, Rhode Island College (12-5, 6-1 LEC) moves into sole possession of first place in the Little East Conference standings. Eastern (12-5, 5-2 LEC)  falls into second place, one game ahead of defending conference champion  University of Southern Maine and Massachusetts Dartmouth. Southern Maine edged homestanding Western Connecticut, 57-55, and UMass Dartmouth blasted visiting Plymouth State, 85-45.

Prior to Saturday, Eastern had won eight of its previous nine. RIC has now won five of the last seven encounters with the Warriors.

In last semester's win over Rhode Island, the Warriors turned to their bench, getting 23 points from two individuals who did not see action Saturday. One of those individuals is injured junior forward Shannon McCourt (New Fairfield), who scored 15 points in 19 minutes in the first game. Also missing this time around is injured starting point guard Kristina Forsman (Newington), who turned the ball over only once in 28 minutes in that first contest.

With a depleted bench, each of Eastern's starters Saturday logged at least 36 minutes, leaving only 15 remaining minutes for two bench players.

Sophomore forward Vandell Andrade  chalked up 18 points and nine rebounds (she was 7-and-9 in the earlier loss), five steals, and three blocks to help carry the Rhode Island. Senior forward Cara Paladino  registered 15 points (as compared to eight the first time around), including 14 in the first half, to go along with four rebounds and three steals, while senior guard Stephanie Prusko totaled 11 points and seven rebounds for the Anchorwomen.  Sophomore guard Michelle Lagrotteria recorded seven points, four assists, and two rebounds, while freshman guard Alex Moore finished with four points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Freshman guard Jordyn Nappi (Southington) paced the Warriors with a game-high 22 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Nappi and sophomore guard Brianna Leonard (Amherst, MA) played all 40 minutes. Leonard chipped in with eight points, nine rebounds, and two steals. Sophomore forward Jill Ritrosky (Pittsfield, MA) posted 11 points, nine rebounds, and two steals, while sophomore forward Erin Brooks (Billerica, MA) came away with ten points and five rebounds.

Rhode Island College had a decisive 10-0 run to take a 24-13 lead with 6:25 left in the first half.. RIC held the visitors without a basket for over four minutes, until Nappi stopped the scoring drought with a mid-range jumper at the 6:05 mark. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the frame, sending the Anchorwomen into the break on top by seven.

Although the Warriors shot 50 percent (11-for-22) from the floor in the first half, the Anchorwomen forced the visitors into nine first half turnovers en route to the, 32-25, halftime advantage. The Anchorwomen totaled 12 points off turnovers, garnered 10 fast-break points, and also went on to score 28 of their 32 first-half points in the paint.

After Rhode Island College jumped ahead by double-digits and soon led by as many as 13 to open the second half, the Warriors managed to trim the deficit down to four with 11:31 remaining following back-to-back baskets from Ritrosky. Holding onto a 44-40 lead, RIC used an 11-4 run to take another double-digit lead over the visitors at the 7:31 mark, keyed by six consecutive points from Andrade. From there, the Anchorwomen led by at least seven points for the remainder of the game, until Nappi drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut the deficit to four as time expired.

RIC forced a total of 17 turnovers, and gave the ball away only half as many times (15-to-8) as it did in the December loss. The Anchorwomen scored 23 points off Eastern turnovers.

The Anchorwomen shot 41 percent (14-for-33) from the field on the afternoon, but managed to shoot just 62 percent from the free throw line (8-for-13) and 11 percent (1-for-9) from beyond the arc.

The Warriors shot 52 percent (24-for-46) from the floor, but shot just 50 percent (7-for-14) from the charity stripe. Eastern went 2-for-4 (50 percent) from downtown in the loss.

Although the rebounding battle ended in a deadlock, 34-34, the Anchorwomen hauled in 14 offensive rebounds as a team and came away with 11 second-chance points.

Eastern visits Western Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference game Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of this year's regular-season home-and-home series. The pair meet again Feb. 18 at Geissler Gymnasium.