Women’s Basketball: Eastern Unable to Advance, Drops Postseason Contest to Keene State in LEC First Round

2/25/2026 7:21:00 PM | By: Alyssa French-Graham

Box Score KEENE, New Hampshire. — Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball saw its season come to a close, falling to Keene State College, 60-54, in the first round of the Little East Conference playoffs, Wednesday night at Spaulding Gymnasium.

Despite a 21-point game from Marissa Nudd (Colchester), the Warriors could not overcome the difference, as the Owls outpaced Eastern 12-8 in the final frame, securing the victory and postseason advancement.

The loss concludes Eastern's 2025-2026 season at 9-17 overall.

Game Information:

Score: Eastern Connecticut State University 54, Keene State College 60
Records: Eastern (9-17) (LEC 6-10), Keene State College (18-8) (LEC 11-5)
Location: Keene, NH | (Spaulding Gymnasium)

Key Moments:
First Quarter

Keene State opened the game with a brief 5-0 run, forcing Eastern into a slow start before Katelyn Novak (Colchester) connected from beyond the arc to cut the deficit. After a scoreless trip by the Owls, Nudd found the basket in the next possession to tie it up.
The teams played back-and-forth with equal capitalization on their offensive ends. Brynn Rautiola led the Owls with a three-point play off an Eastern turnover and a three-pointer midway through the quarter, but Nudd responded with her ninth point behind a major three, and with a battle to the buzzer, the two teams finished even, 20-20.

Second Quarter

The two teams suffered a handful of empty trips to the basket before Keene's Bella Schultz-Mitchell was able to provide a brief edge. Eastern's Isabella Romero (Peabody, MA) equalized at just under the eight-minute mark, and Liv Cassesse (Wallingford) followed with a basket to put the Warriors ahead.
Midway through the quarter, Novak knocked down her second three of the night while Alyssa Paquette (Claremont, NH) secured a jumper off a crucial offensive rebound.
Rautiola continued to pace the Owls, reaching 11 points on two key baskets, before Maddie Topa (New Hartford) drove to the rim to extend Eastern's lead. Keene closed with a three from Kiley Bundy, sending the teams into the break with Eastern ahead, 33-32.

Third Quarter

Eastern opened the quarter at the line, with Nudd converting both free throws to lengthen the Warriors' advantage. Though the hard-fought Warriors' lead was doused with a change in the Owl's momentum as Ruby Dasaro's transition jumper and a hard take to the basket kicked off a 7-0 run for Keene State.
Nudd broke up the Owls' pressure briefly, but Keene continued to dominate on offense, stretching their lead to 45-37 at the four-minute mark, Rautiola and Dasaro knocking down crucial points as time dwindled.
To Eastern's relief, Novak came alive in the last 17 seconds, knocking down two huge baskets to erase Keene's eight-point lead, cutting the deficit to 48-46 heading into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

Heading into the fourth, both teams battled for the tournament advance. Keene took early insurance trips, securing a big-time three from Stewart and two driving layups from Dasaro as they controlled the offensive edge, 57-51, with 2:44 remaining.
With little time left, Eastern struggled offensively. Jump balls and crucial turnovers chipped away at their attempts, resulting in empty possessions and no room for recovery. Gathering her final points of the night, Nudd secured a three-point play in the closing minutes. Though the efforts were not enough as Eastern fell short to Keene's 60-54 victory.

Stats:

Eastern Conn. St.: 21-59 FG (35.6%), 5-20 3PT (25.0%), 7-10 FT (70.0%)
Keene State: 23-69 FG (33.3%), 6-21 3PT (28.6%), 8-11 FT (72.7%)
Rebounds: Eastern 43, Keene State 34
Assists: Eastern 9, Keene State 9
Turnovers: Eastern 26, Keene State 10
Points in the Paint: Eastern 32, Keene State 26
Second-Chance Points: Eastern 14, Keene State 11
Fast Break Points: Eastern 10, Keene State 5
Points off Turnovers: Eastern 11, Keene State 19
Bench Points: Eastern 6, Keene State 10

Game Notes:

Nudd led the Warriors with 21 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, adding five made free throws.
Novak contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Romero secured eight boards and six points off the bench.

Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories