Women's Hoops Edged By Dartmouth, 61-59

Playing in just her second game of the 2024-25 season, Central Connecticut State's Belle Lanpher scored a game-high 27 points, just three off her career-high, grabbed seven rebounds, dished off four assists and made one steal, but it was not enough for the host Blue Devils on Monday morning, as Central fell to the visiting Big Green of Dartmouth College, 61-59.  CCSU is now 1-11 overall so far this season, and with the win, Dartmouth moves its overall season mark to 4-6.  Junior Alonna Sellers joined Lanpher in double-digit scoring with 10 points, and she finished with her second double-double of the season pulling down a career-high 13 rebounds.  Zeynep Ozel and Victoria Page led fourth Dartmouth players in double figures, as they each had 13 points.  Ozel also had 10 assists in the contest to finish with a double-double of her own.

GAME INFORMATION |BOX SCORE

Score:  Dartmouth 61, CCSU 59
Records: CCSU (1-11, 0-0 NEC), Dartmouth (4-6, 0-0 Ivy)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium |New Britain, Conn.

KEY MOMENTS

• Belle Lanpher gave the Blue Devils a 9-8 lead at the first media timeout of the contest which came at the 4:09 mark of the opening quarter when she knocked down a three-point shot at 4:44.
• CCSU closed the first quarter out on a 10-5 run to take a 16-13 lead after the first 10 minutes.  Lanpher led all scorers in the opening stanza with nine points, and Alonna Sellers led Central with three rebounds.
• Dartmouth opened the second quarter on a 5-2 run to tie the contest up at 18-18 with 6:32 to play before halftime.
• The Blue Devils closed the half on a 9-4 run to take a five-point, 27-22, lead into the halftime break.  The contest saw six ties and three lead changes over the first 20 minutes of action.  CCSU's Belle Lanpher led all scorers over the first two quarters with a season-best 14 points.  Alonna Sellers was next on the Central scoring list with six points.  Both Lanpher and Sellers grabbed a team-high five rebounds in the first half.  Nina Minicozzi and Zeynep Ozel led the Big Green with six points apiece.  CCSU shot 47.6 in the first half (10-of-21); while Dartmouth struggled from the floor at 28.6 % (8-of-28) to open the game.
• Central extended its lead to 10, its largest of the game, at 32-22, when Meghan Kenefick made a three-point shot with 8:46 to go in the third quarter.
• The Blue Devils would lead 36-31 at the third quarter media break with 4:44 to play in the frame.
• Dartmouth's Cate MacDonald hit a three-pointer just before the third quarter buzzer to give the Big Green a 43-40 lead heading into the final stanza.  The visitors outscored CCSU, 21-13, in the third period.
• The two teams would trade baskets to open the fourth quarter, as Dartmouth took a 50-47 lead at the media timeout of the final frame with 5:41 remaining in the fourth.
• Central would then go on a 4-0 run to take a 51-50 lead on Belle Lanpher layup at the 5:01 mark.
• After the Lanpher hoop, Dartmouth would go on a 7-0 run to take a 57-51 advantage with 2:21 to play which they never relinquished capped off by a three by Zeynep Ozel.
• After the Big Green spilt two free throws with 9.1 seconds to play, Belle Lanpher hit a three, her third of the day, from the top of the key to make the score 60-59.
• Central would then foul, and Dartmouth's Victoria Page would also split two free throws with 1.9 to play and make the score 61-59 which would be the final score, as the Blue Devils could not get off a final shot.
• CCSU outscored Dartmouth, 19-18, in the final quarter.

NUMBER TO KNOW

1101–Career points scored by Belle Lanpher after Monday's 27-point performance to move her into twelfth place on the CCSU all-time scoring list.

NOTES

• Monday's game was a see-saw affair that had 11 ties and six lead changes between the two teams.
• Belle Lanpher's 27 points were just three off her career high of 30 scored against St. Francis Brooklyn on February 2, 2023.
• Alonna Sellers other double-double this season came at UMass on November 10 when she had 12 points and 12 rebounds.  Those 12 rebounds were her previous career-high on the boards.
• Central finished Monday's game with a slight 33-32 edge in rebounding.
• Both teams connected on 23 total field goals on Monday with CCSU going 23-of-50 (46.0%) and Dartmouth hitting 23-of-55 shots (41.8%).  The Big Green hit eight three-point shots; while the Blue Devils had six threes.  Each team hit seven free throws on the day with the visitors going 7-of-12 (58.3%) and Central hitting 7-of-9 (77.8%) from the line.
• Dartmouth finished with a 30-22 advantage in points in the paint.
• Senior Amaya Williams has started all 12 games for CCSU so far this season.
• Graduate student Meghan Kenefick is 13 boards shy of 500 rebounds for her career.

UP NEXT

• CCSU closes out the 2024 portion of this season's schedule at Boston College this Friday, December 20 with a 12 noon game in Chestnut Hill.  The Blue Devils return home to open play in 2025 with their first Northeast Conference game of the season when Saint Francis (Pa.) comes to Detrick Gymnasium for a 4:00 p.m. tilt on Thursday, January 2.