Women's Basketball Comes from Behind for Overtime Victory over MCLA

North Adams, Mass. - The Framingham State University women's basketball team rallied from a second half double digit deficit to defeat the MCLA Trailblazers 88-81 in overtime this afternoon in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup. 

The Rams earned their first conference victory and are now 1-3 in the MASCAC and improve to 7-8 on the season.  The Trailblazers drop to 4-12 overall and are still in search of their first MASCAC win as they fall to 0-4 in the conference.

Senior guard Kristen Hoffman (Foxboro, Mass.) led all scorers with a game-high 27 points for the Rams including six threes.  Freshman guard Carlee Putnam (Niantic, Conn.) had a break out game for the Rams as she tallied a career-high 20 points, including 18 in the second half as the Rams erased the Trailblazers advantage.  Putnam also came up with five steals in the game including several down the stretch.  Junior guard Nicole Bostic (Easton, Mass.) narrowly missed a double double with 16 points and nine boards.

MCLA maintained the lead for most of the second half and led 70-66 with 1:46 to play.  Freshman forward Sarah Palace (Auburn, Mass.) drained a triple for the Rams to pull them within a point.  After MCLA scored on their next possession, Putnam tied the game knocking down another three knotting the score at 72-72.  The Rams had a chance to end it in regulation as they forced a turnover by MCLA and had a chance at the final shot, but Hoffman's three point attempt was off the mark sending the game went to OT.

Hoffman knocked down two free throws in the opening minute of overtime to give the Rams their first lead since the opening half.  MCLA would tie it on a pair of Kayla Hotaling free throws, however the Rams would respond with six straight points to take control.  Putnam drained another three pointer and Hoffman nailed her sixth and final trey of the night after MCLA missed on the other end. 

The Trailblazers would get within three one last time when Micheala Siver drilled a three of her own with 1:51 remaining in OT making it 82-79.  The Rams would answer scoring six of their own to pull away and holding MCLA without a field goal until the final seconds.

MCLA opened the game with an early five point lead only to see Framingham come right back and even things up.  The Rams eventually went up 18-15 on a three pointer from Hoffman, but following an MCLA timeout, the Trailblazers responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead at 22-18.   After trading baskets for a few minutes and MCLA holding a 28-24 advantage, the Trailblazers rattled off nine straight points to take their largest first half lead at 37-24 with 6:13 left to play.  Framingham would pull to within seven points on two occasions before MCLA scored the final four
points of the half to take a 47-36 lead into the locker room.

For MCLA, they were paced by Hotaling's double double effort of 18 points and 13 rebounds.  The game marked her season debut as she had been battling injuries all season.  Kaitlyn Chenevert led the Trailblazers with 19 points, however the Rams defense held her to just two points after halftime.  Siver finished 15 points and eight rebounds, while Courtney Durivage had 10 points, all of which came in the opening half.

MCLA was hampered by 29 turnovers, 19 of which came after halftime, while the Rams committed 20.

The Trailblazers are back in action next Saturday when they travel to Westfield State, while the Rams host Salem State on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m.

Major portions of release courtesy of MCLA Sports Information.