Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team scored 12 consecutive points in the fourth quarter during a 19-3 run that lifted the Warriors to an 83-73 non-conference victory over Westfield State University Sunday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
Eastern (11-4) junior guard Julia DePoi (Brookfield) sank a three-point field goal to tie the game for the final time two minutes into the fourth quarter and spark the 12-point run, with the eventual 19-3 scoring advantage giving the Warriors their largest lead of the game, 76-63, with 2:30 left.
Westfield (10-5) pulled to within six with 74 seconds left, but missed two shots and turned the ball over once on its next three possessions, and Eastern senior forward Jill Ritrosky (Pittsfield, MA) connected on two free throws with 33 seconds left to restore the Warriors' double-digit lead and secure their season-high fourth straight win.
Ranked first nationally with an average of 22.3 steals per game and 12th in scoring margin, the Owls forced 25 turnovers with 17 steals by playing an uptempo style characterized by a constant full-court press and turning over their lineup every 60 seconds. The uptempo style, however, allowed the Warriors to score 20 points more than their season average and Westfield, ranked 12th nationally in scoring margin (just under 20), was held 20 points under its season average of 91.4 points per game.
Westfield, which snapped a 21-game losing streak at the hands of Eastern last year with a 65-57 home win, scored the first five points of the game, but Eastern scored 11 consecutive points later in the quarter to move to a six-point lead with two minutes left in the frame. Eastern held slim leads at each stop: by five after one quarter, six at halftime and by three heading into the final quarter.
Ritrosky pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds (one shy of her career-best), DePoi grabbed eight and junior center Lexis Foster (Groton) came off the bench for seven to carry the hosts to a +23 advantage in rebounds.
Four Eastern starters combined for all but 12 of the Warriors' points. Junior guard Jordyn Nappi (Southington) led all players in the game with 22, DePoi adding 17 and Ritrosky and senior forward Erin Brooks (Billerica, MA) contributing 16 each. Brooks, shooting 63 percent from the floor this year, was 5-of-5 from the floor, and 6-of-6 from the foul line and chipped in five assists.
Sophomore point guard Kelly Reardon (Holyoke, MA) came off the bench for Eastern to play a career-high 22 minutes, turning the ball over only twice.
Westfield season scoring leader Jill Valley led the Owls with 19 points, junior guard Kirsy Segarra adding 15 points, with freshman guard Ece Eldek handing out six assists.
Senior center Forbasaw Nkamebo, who torched Eastern for 19 points and also had seven rebounds a year ago, was limited to eight points and five rebounds in 26 minutes. The Owls played without junior guard Alyssa Darling, who averages 11.0 points and is second on the team with 20 three-point field goals.
Eleven players saw between ten and 26 minutes of action for Westfield, which lost for the first time in its last six games.
Eastern hosts Western Connecticut State University Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in a Little East Conference game.
