Willimantic, Conn.--Freshman guard Maci Dorantes (Bristol, CT) finished with a team-high 11 points as No. 2-seeded Rhode Island College fell vs. No. 1-seeded Eastern Connecticut, 49-44, in the finals of the 2020 Little East Women's Basketball Championship at Geissler Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS
No. 1 Eastern Connecticut 49, No. 2 Rhode Island College 44
Eastern Connecticut (23-4)
Rhode Island College (22-5)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Eastern opened the game on a 7-0 run, which was capped by a sophomore guard Danielle O'Brien (Rockland, MA) three-pointer with 6:43 left in the first quarter.

• The Anchorwomen pulled within four, 11-7, on a sophomore center Willcia McBorrough (Providence, RI) layup to end the opening frame.

• A Dorantes trey pulled the visitors within a pair, 14-12, with 6:20 left in the second quarter.

• Eastern sophomore forward Anna Barry (Andover, CT) made a contested layup with 23 seconds remaining as the Warriors posted a 26-17 lead at the break.

• RIC went on a 9-0 run midway through the third quarter to make it a one possession game, 31-28, with just over three minutes left in the stanza.

• ECSU finished the third quarter on a 10-2 run, which O'Brien got rolling with another big trey, to hold a 41-30 advantage going into the final frame.

• A senior guard Jordyn Gauvin (Fall River, MA) jumper with under six minutes left to play keyed a 12-2 Anchorwomen run to pull the hosts within a pair, 44-42.

• Barry sank a key layup and then notched a block on the ensuing possession as the Warriors held a 48-42 lead with 30 seconds left.

• After a scramble on the inbounds, Dorantes banked in a long two to pull the Anchorwomen within four points, 48-44, with 25 seconds left.

• Eastern sophomore guard Julie Keckler (Trumbull, CT) hit a free throw with 23 seconds left, while RIC's final two shot attempts were off the mark, as Warriors claimed the championship, 49-45.

• Dorantes also chipped in with three boards and an assist. Junior guard Sophia Guerrier (Waltham, MA) finished with nine points, two rebounds and two assists. Gauvin registered five points, six boards and a pair of assists.

• O'Brien led all scorers with 15 points, which included five three-pointers. Barry posted 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior forward Mya Villard (Cromwell, CT) also reached double figures in scoring with 12 points and four rebounds. Keckler posted eight points, five assists and four rebounds.

BY THE NUMBERS
• RIC shot 27 percent (17-for-62) from the field, 23 percent (5-for-22) from three-point land and 83 percent (5-for-6) from the free throw line.

• Eastern shot 37 percent (15-for-41) from the field, 43 percent (6-for-14) from downtown and 87 percent (13-for-15) from the charity stripe.

• RIC led in steals, 12-4. The Anchorwomen turned ball over 12 times, while the hosts committed 22 miscues. Eastern led in rebounding 37-31.

• The Anchorwomen had won the two previous regular season meetings with the Warriors. RIC's 44 points ties the lowest offensive output of the season for the club.

WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will await the announcement of the NCAA Div. III Women's Basketball Championship field on Monday in hopes of garnering an at-large bid.