Box Score Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - The Rensselaer women's basketball team saw its season come to an end with a 74-63 loss to Southern Maine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  The Engineers, who were making their second appearance in the national tourney, finish with a 17-11 record.  Southern Maine improves to 21-8 and advances to take on the winner of the game between the host, Amherst, and MCLA.

The first four minutes of the game had seven turnovers, and just a pair of scores by Southern Maine, but with 15:50 remaining, RPI got on the board with a three by Ellen High (Plaistow, NH). The Huskies opened up an 8-3 lead, but Whitney Coleman (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) answered with another triple for the Engineers with 14:06 remaining. A Coleman turnaround with 11:34 tied the game 10-10, before a Hillary McKinley (Quinebaug, CT) layup gave RPI its first lead at 12-10.

With 5:21 remaining, RPI's lead sat at 18-15, as Southern Maine called a timeout. Coming out of the break, the Huskies forced a turnover and then got a post score from rookie Curran Leighton (Dover, NH). Leighton scored three straight buckets for Southern Maine, putting the Huskies back up 23-18 with 2:35 to play in the half.

With 33 seconds remaining in the half, Southern Maine's Kaylie DeMillo (Jay, ME) hit a step-back three from the right corner. With just 13 seconds remaining, Laura Easterling (Ventura, CA) took a steal in for an RPI layup for the final score of the half, cutting the Huskies' lead to 28-24 at the break.

In the first three minutes of the second half, Easterling hit consecutive threes for RPI, before Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan, ME) hit a triple for Southern Maine. With 15:17 to play in the second half, DeMillo made another three for the Huskies from the right wing to regain a four-point lead at 36-32.

With 12:28 left in the second and Southern Maine's lead at 40-32, Leighton was whistled for her third foul. The Little East Conference Rookie of the Year was forced to the bench with 14 points and 12 rebounds, giving the Engineers a window of time to cut into the Huskies' lead. By the 10:08 mark, RPI had gone inside to McKinley for a score, before getting a transition three from Allison Connor (Hudson, NY) to cut the lead to 43-41. Southern Maine head coach Gary Fifield had seen enough, calling a timeout to get Leighton and Paradis back into the game.

In less than two minutes, Southern Maine responded with a 7-0 run to open up a 50-41 lead. Leighton helped the Huskies takeover during a short burst, as the lead stretched into double-digits. A pair of free throws from Coleman at the 4:56 mark helped stop the run for RPI, cutting the deficit to nine points at 57-48. Coleman got a three to fall from the left corner with just over four minutes left, keeping RPI within striking distance at 59-51.

Leighton eventually fouled out with 2:06 to play, leaving the game with 20 points and 13 rebounds. The Huskies ran the shot clock down in the final two minutes, before Renee Nicholas (Sebago, ME) made a three to set the lead at 67-53.

As the clock wound down, Southern Maine held off a furious charge from RPI, holding on for a 74-63 win. Leading all players in both points and rebounds was Leighton, while Demillo added 19 points, and Johnson chipped in with 15 points and 11 boards for the Huskies. RPI was led by 15 points from Easterling, while each Coleman and McKinley scored a dozen in the loss.