PRIDE COME READY TO PLAY

KEENE, N.H. 11/20/09 - Senior guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) scored a career high 29 points to lead the Keene State College women's basketball team to a 73-64 victory over Regis (Mass.) College in an opening-round game of the 14th Annual KSC Tip-Off Tournament at Spaulding Gym on Friday. 

The Owls (2-0) advanced to the championship game of the tournament against the University of New England on Saturday (3 p.m.).  Regis College (2-1) will face SUNY-Cobleskill in Saturday's consolation game at 1 p.m. The Owls have won their tournament 12 out of the past 13 years. 

Degou, who was held scoreless in the Owls opener against Nichols, was one of four KSC players to score in double figures.  Sophomore Sara Laudano (West Haven, Conn.) with 14 points, including four three-pointers, freshman Amber Alberto (Waterbury, Conn.) with 11 points, and senior Jen Cleaveland (Newington, Conn.), who had 10 points also hit for double figures in the game.  Sophomore Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) came off the bench to grab a game high 10 rebounds.

Senior Jessica Page (Quincy, Mass.), who hit five three-pointers, led a balanced Regis offense with 16 points.  Junior Brittany White (Dorchester, Mass.) had 14 points, sophomore Stephanie Crawford (Rockland, Mass.) added 11 points, and sophomore Meagan Tobin (Quincy, Mass.) finished with 10 points.  Junior Sarah McNult (Hampstead, N.H.) pulled down a team high eight rebounds. 

The Owls broke open a close game with a flurry of three-pointers at the end of the first half. Laudano connected on back-to-back base-line baskets from behind the arc and Degou concluded the run with a three-ball from the top of the key to send KSC to the locker room with 47-31 lead.   Degou, who had 13 first half point, and Laudano hit three of their four three-point attempts.  Cleaveland gave the Owls an inside presence with 10 first half points. 

Page, who had 10 first half points for Regis, went three-for-three from three-point land.

Both teams shot well from behind the line in the first half.  Keene State was eight of 13 (61%) while the Pride was six for 11 (54%).

Regis came out of the half on fire, using a 17-5 run to cut the owls lead to four points (52-48) on a jumper by junior Brittany White (Dorchester, Mass.) at the 11:43 mark of the second half. 

Degou turned the tide for the Owls with five straight points. Following a block by Cirillo, Degou went in for a lay-up to make it 59-48 with 9:59 to play.

"It was our defense that sparks our offense.  I got easy transition lay-ups because of our defense" said Degou who hit five of her eight three-pointers.  "We're a much better team than the way we played tonight.  We know we have to play a lot better tomorrow night."  

After the Pride made a mild run, Laudano hit a three-pointer off an inbounds play to put the Owls up 64-53 with four minutes to go in the game. 

Keene State Keith Boucher was not pleased with his team's performance.  "I didn't think we played anywhere near we are capable of. Regis came out ready to play and we thought we were going to show up and play," he said.  We got very lucky today."

KSC finished the game 11 of 21 from three-point land and held a 36-28 advantage on the boards. Regis, who outscored the Owls 33-26 in the second half, went nine for 18 behind the arc.