Worcester, MA- Worcester State Women's Basketball (7-11, 1-3) is looking to stop a slight mid season skid today as they take on Framingham State (8-7, 1-2) this afternoon on Brissette Court. Adding to the intensity of the conference game is the pressure to hold off a 400th career win for the Rams Head coach Walter Paschal.
Final
Worcester State: 53
Framingham State: 70
How it Happened:
The first quarter started off with the tip ball, as well as the first points going to Framingham. The Lancers would answer with their own basket, but that was the closest the score was in the first quarter as Framingham began to solidify their momentum early. Framingham would play a very dominant brand of basketball, out rebounding and shooting convincingly across the court, but Worcester was rising to meet their intensity and putting pressure on each opportunity. The Lancers would show some fight in the final minutes of the first, but would be unable to bridge the gap.
The second quarter was largely like the first with Framingham playing a commanding brand of basketball. The frustration was high in the Lancers camp as calls were not going the way they desired as they aimed to work their way back into the action. The rest of the quarter would be very uneventful as each team settled into a flow for the remainder of the half. The quarter would end with Framhiman still claiming the 22-41 lead.
The third saw a change in the beginnings of a shift in momentum with the Lancers taking back their composure. Their competitive spirit that had been dulled in the previous quarters began to reignite. The Rams seemed to slip as they tried to stop the offensive onslaught of Worcester. With Framingham claiming the lead, they did not want to attempt any low percentage shots, as they were trying to chew the clock. This strategy would not work, as the Lancers would play a smothering defense to force turnovers and claim points of their own.
In the fourth, the Lancers would need to play their best ball to have an inkling of a chance. The door continued to stay open, as Lancers did just that. Shot after shot, they answered. They had a large lead to contest with but they managed to bring the game back to single digits. This would force the Rams to take a timeout allowing Framingham to begin to answer the Worcester charge. The final minutes of the game saw the Lancers never give up but the Rams managed to hold off the surge to claim the 70-53 win.
Sophomores Lena Waldron (Quincy, MA) and Alana Smith (Chicopee, MA) would lead the Lancers with 12 points each and seven and nine rebounds respectively.
What's next:
Worcester State (7-12, 1-4) will remain at home for their next matchup as they host Thoma College on Wednesday night at 6pm.