The USM women’s basketball team earned a spot in Little East Conference Championship game but failed to reclaim the title they won a year ago as they lost 61-46 to Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Conn. on Saturday.
The top-seeded Colonials, who won their first LEC Title since 1994, were led by junior forward Melissa Teel who led all scorers with 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Teel also denied the Huskies with four blocks and was named the 2010 LEC Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Freshman guard Taylor Nkonki drained four of four three pointers to finish with 12 points, and junior guard Karly Spera added 10 points for the Colonials.
USM received a strong performance from freshman forward Curran Leighton (Dover, N.H.) who tallied team-high’s in both points a rebounds scoring 21 points and grabbing eight boards. Sophomore guard Renee Nicholas (Sebago) was also a solid contributor as she scored 14 points, six rebounds, two steals and two assists in the contest.
USM stayed close to Western Connecticut throughout the first half as they shot 57.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc and at the free throw line. It was the Colonials though who struck last as they went up by three in the final minute of the opening half when Spera hit one of her five three pointers to make the score 31-28.
From there Western Connecticut would break open the game as they combined an aggressive offensive attack and tenacious defense to cruise past USM in the beginning of the second half. The Colonials went on a 14-4 run and with a little less than ten minutes to play they found themselves ahead by 15 points. USM wouldn’t get any closer as Western held on to a demanding 61-46 win.The Colonials received an automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA DIII National Championship Tournament and await the release of their opponent in the first round, which will be announced Monday afternoon.
As for USM’s future there is still a possibility they will receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, which will also be released on Monday.
USM earned a berth in the LEC Championship Game by getting a quarterfinal win against fifth seeded UMass Dartmouth on Feb. 23, and a semifinal win against second seeded Eastern Connecticut, of with whom USM was tied at the time.
In the quarterfinal match-up against UMass Dartmouth, Leighton pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds to go along with her game-high 21 points, six assists, and four blocks. Senior co-captain Haley Johnson (West Simsbury, Conn.) also put up a double-double as she shot 6-for-8 from the field to finish with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and junior guard Kaylie DeMillo (Jay) chipped in 12 points while draining three 3-pointers.
“The play of Curran and Haley has been tremendous and we’ve been taking advantage of their inside presence,” USM head coach Gary Fifield said. “We’re a whole different team with Nicole Paradis back as well. Nicole provides us with a better perimeter presence and helps our low post.”
In the semifinal match-up against Eastern Connecticut, the Huskies battled hard the entire game for a 48-46 win in a must-win situation.
Leighton pulled through for USM once again as she recorded her ninth career double-double with a game-high 15 points and 13 rebounds. Senior captains Paradis (Skowhegan) and Johnson added eight and seven points in the win.
This particular win was one of historic measures as it marked the 30th straight season that USM has won 20 or more games, with Fifield being coach 22 of those seasons.