WILLIMANTIC, Conn. --- If the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team entertained any thoughts of hosting a first-round game in the upcoming Little East Conference tournament, it would have to put behind it a 25-point loss three weeks ago to Western Connecticut State University.

At right: Jill Ritrosky

Clinging to a one-game lead over Western in the battle for the final first-round home court position, Eastern  (17-7, 9-4 Little East) unofficially nailed down that home berth with a  57-45 victory over the Colonials (14-10, 7-6 Little East) in the final regular-season home game of the season Wednesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

Eastern outscored Western 19-4 from the foul line and outrebounded the Colonials by ten, with sophomore forward Jill Ritrosky (Pittsfield, MA) sinking nine of 12 free throws and grabbing a game-high nine rebounds as Eastern finished with a 6-1 regular-season conference home record.

The Warriors moved out to a 13-point halftime lead and upped the advantage to 16 three minutes into the second half. After the Colonials cut the gap to six, the teams traded ten-point runs, Western pulling to within six four minutes into the half before the Warriors ripped off ten in a row. Junior guard Taylor McBride (Willimantic) converted a conventional three-point play and freshman guard Jordyn Nappi (Southington) swished a three-point field goal as Eastern took a 16-point, 47-31 lead with nine minutes left.

Ritrosky led all players with 17 points and four assists and McBride chipped in nine points, four rebounds and four assists.

Senior Sciarra Brandt  led Western with 16 points (6-of-9 from the floor and freshman Colleen Cosker  added seven points, five rebounds and four assists.

With a win, Western would have pulled into a three-way tie for third place in the conference with Eastern and UMass Dartmouth and would have held the tie-breaker over both teams by virtue of winning all four games in the regular season.