Owl Women Host ECAC Basketball Tournament
KEENE, N.H., 3/4/10 - Keene State College will host the semifinal and championship rounds of the ECAC Division III New England Women’s Basketball Tournament this weekend at Spaulding Gym.
Looking for its first-ever ECAC Division III title, Keene State (18-9) will face fourth-seed WPI (20-9) in Saturday’s first semifinal game at 1 p.m. Second-seed Regis College (20-9) takes on sixth-seed Plymouth State (16-10) in the second semifinal game at 3 p.m. The two semifinal winners will play for the championship on Sunday (1 p.m.).
Senior guard Kristin Degou scored 21 points, pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds, and made four blocks to lead the Owls to a 84-54 win over eighth- seed Suffolk University in Wednesday’s quarterfinal game.
Elle Fontaine and Theresa Logan combined for 45 points and 20 rebounds to help propel defending champion and fourth-seed WPI to a 70-54 victory over fifth- seed Norwich in its quarterfinal game. It marks just the second time in school history - and the first time in 26 years - the program has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons.
In other quarterfinal action on Wednesday, Sarah McNult posted her 10th double-double of the season, leading second-seed Regis College to a 63-53 victory over seventh-seed Worcester State. Plymouth State’s front line of sophomore Alicia Doucet, junior Amanda Kania, and senior Laura Kent combined for 56 points and 26 rebounds as the sixth-seeded Panthers upset third-seeded Endicott College, 70-5.
The Owls are familiar with several teams that remain in the field. Earlier this season, KSC defeated Regis (73-64). They split their two games against rival Plymouth State, losing on the road (62-59) and winning at home (66-48). Keene State played in the WPI tournament back in 2007, defeating the Engineers (52-41) in the finals.
Keene State is making its fifth trip to the ECAC tournament. Last year, the Owls lost to top-seed Nichols College in the semifinals 58-53. In 2006, KSC dropped a first-round game to Emmanuel (73-64). They advanced to the semifinals round of the 2002 tournament before losing to Plymouth State (73-57). The following year, they dropped a quarterfinal game to Colby-Sawyer (52-48). Owl Women Host ECAC Basketball The Owls won the ECAC Championship as a Division II member in 1988 and 1989, and also reached the championship game in 1993.
