NEWTON, Mass. (12/3/15) – The Lasell women’s basketball team fell short to the visiting Owls of Westfield State University 90-81 in non-conference action Thursday evening in the Athletic Center. With the setback the Lasers shift to 3-4 overall while the Owls even out at 3-3.
Despite the deficit, senior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) poured in a game-high 30 points and was just short of a double-double with eight rebounds. Freshman Brianna Hoffman (Mildford, N.H.) turned her first double-double as a Laser with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while senior guard Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) went 6-for-17 from the floor with 14 points.
Forbasaw Nkamebo scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Owls win over Lasell. (WSU File Photo)
For the Owls, freshman guard Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, Mass.) went 7-for-13 from the floor to go along with 50% shooting from downtown to score 21 points overall. Senior center Forbasaw Nkamebo (Amherst, Mass.) dominated her second double-double of the season 18 baskets and a game-best 13 caroms.
The Owls led from start to finish, rattling off an early 9-0 run to contribute to 44.0% shooting in the first quarter. With 4:06 left to go in half one, Westfield took its largest lead of 23 points after junior guard Krisy Segarra (Holyoke, Mass.) sunk 1-of-2 shots from the charity stripe. The Lasers would not go quietly, as they adjusted to Westfield’s fast speed of play – a team that averages 85 points per game – and strung together eight unanswered points to pull within seven (55-48) with 3:17 left to go in the third. Lasell kept the ante up in the fourth quarter as it matched Westfield’s 28 points that would go unjustified as the Owls came out with an eventual 90-81 victory.
The Lasers held a 38.5% to 36.8% margin in shots from the floor, while the Owls scored 33 points from behind the arc compared to the Lasers’ 21. Westfield state scored a whopping 37 points off Lasell’s turnovers, while both teams deadlocked in second chance points (15) and points in the paint (30).
Both teams return to non-league action on Saturday, December 3 at 1:00. The Lasers will hit the road for the first time since November 18 when they face Fitchburg State, while the Owls travel to familiar GNAC foe Rivier University. – Story courtesy of Lasell sports info
