SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western Connecticut State University finished in third place in the Hampton Inn-West Springfield/Naismith Classic on Monday afternoon at Springfield College's Blake Arena with a 54-39 win over the Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team.

The loss drops the Hawks to 4-5 on the season, while the Colonials improve to 8-3.

Leading the way for WCSU was Taylor Nkonoki, who tallied 14 points while connecting on all four of her three-point attempts. Stephanie Slonski added 10 points, while Sciarra Brandt posted seven rebounds, six points, four assists, three blocks, and two steals.

Alexandria Lanieri (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) scored over half of the Hawks points on the day, producing 20 points while pulling down 11 rebounds. She finished by making 10-of-19 field goals. Kaitlyn Bovee (Berlin, Conn.) chipped in with nine points and nine rebounds.

Slonski for WCSU and Lanieri for Roger Williams were chosen to represent their teams on the all-tournament team.

The opening half featured six lead changes as both teams traded baskets to start the game. Following a Lanieri jumper in the paint, which cut the Colonials lead to 17-15, Western Connecticut answered with a 7-0 burst capped off by a straightaway three-pointer from Slonski. Pace of play in the first 20 minutes was dictated by sloppy play on both ends, as the squads combined for 26 turnovers.

The Hawks opened up the second half with the first five points to get within two, only to have the Colonials score five-straight points of their own to regain a seven-point cushion at 29-22. After a three-point play by RWU's Amanda Keane (Wilmington, Mass.) with 15:44 to go made it a 29-25 ball game, Western Connecticut opened up a 12-0 run spanning nearly eight minutes to take a 43-27 lead. The 16-point margin was WCSU's largest lead of the game.

The Hawks finally broke their scoreless drought and netted six unanswered points after another Lanieri bucket inside made it 43-33. That would be as close as they would get in the contest as Roger Williams was marred with turnovers throughout, finishing the game with 31. Some 25 of WCSU's points were scored off turnovers.

RWU won the battle of the boards, 39-36. A total of 17 of the Colonials' 36 rebounds were off the offensive glass.

- Release courtesy of the Springfield College Sports Information Department