GORHAM — Three days ago, Megan Ronaghan led the UMass-Dartmouth women’s basketball team to a 12-point win over the University of Southern Maine. The Huskies were determined not to let her beat them again in Tuesday’s Little East Conference quarterfinals at Fifield Court.

So with the Huskies focusing on Ronaghan, Corsairs senior Beth Castantini stepped forward. Castantini scored seven of her game-high 20 points in overtime, and also assisted on the winning basket, as UMass-Dartmouth came away with a 61-58 victory. USM had a 10-point lead in the third quarter, but struggled to get any offensive rhythm in the game.

USM, seeded fourth, finished 14-12 in Sam Allen’s first year as head coach. The fifth-seeded Corsairs move onto the semifinals with an 18-8 record.

“We definitely decided to put more of our focus on Ronaghan this game because she went off on us in the last one,” said Allen. “Because (Castantini) saw the ball go through the net, that maybe gave her confidence.”

UMass-Dartmouth hit 4 of 5 shots in overtime.

USM led 39-36 entering the fourth quarter. But the Corsairs got hot. Castantini started it with a 3-pointer to tie it. There were three other ties in the quarter, the last forged by Kayla Stacy with 18 seconds left, a left-handed scoop hook that banked in to tie it at 49.

USM twice led in overtime, the final time at 53-51 on a layup by Gretchen Anderson, who 17 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Huskies. Castantini scored seven consecutive points to give the Corsairs a 58-55 lead. But Anderson tied it with a 3-pointer. On the Corsairs’ next possession, Castantini passed to Ronaghan (17 points, eight rebounds) with 21 seconds left. USM missed its next shot and Ronagahn hit a foul shot.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND 101, NICHOLS 35: The top-seeded Nor’easters (23-3), ranked 16th nationally, used a balanced and complete team effort to dominate the Bison (3-23) as they cruised to a Commonwealth Coast Conference quarterfinal win at Biddeford.

Alicia Brown led the way with 25 points for the Nor’easters.

NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE 66, UMAINE-FARMINGTON 55: The fourth-seeded Pilgrims (19-7) outscored the Beavers (11-15) 24-15 in the third quarter and that proved to be the difference as they advanced with an NAC quarterfinal win at Henniker, New Hampshire.

Tiffany Davis had 15 points and grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds for the Pilgrims.

MAINE MARITIME 68, COLBY-SAWYER 56: Mackenzie Vosburgh came off the bench and scored a team-high 20 points as the third-seeded Mariners (19-7) handled the sixth-seeded Chargers (12-14) in an NAC quarterfinal at Castine.

Maine Maritime advances to play second-seeded Castleton on Friday at Husson University.

ST. JOSEPH’S 72, RIVIER 62: The top-seeded Monks (21-5) scored the first seven points of the third quarter and held off the eighth-seeded Raiders (9-17) to advanced in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference quarterfinal at Standish.

Morgan Cahill had 18 points to lead St. Joseph’s.

The Monks will host Suffolk on Thursday in the semifinals.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

THOMAS 83, CASTLETON 65: Levi Barnes scored 16 first-half points as the fourth-seeded Terriers (14-12) jumped to a 47-29 halftime lead and held down the fifth-seeded Spartans (9-17) in an NAC quarterfinal at Waterville.

Casey McGraw was the leading scorer for Castleton with 17 points.

The Terriers will face top-seeded Husson on Friday at Bangor.

JOHNSON & WALES 73, ST. JOSEPH’S 36: Tom Garrick had 20 points to lead four players in double figures as the top-seeded Wildcats (24-2) cruised past the eighth-seeded Monks (8-18) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference quarterfinal at Providence, Rhode Island.

Quinn Richardson-Newton led St. Joseph’s with nine points.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND 61, WENTWORTH 58: The seventh-seeded Nor’easters overcame a one-point halftime deficit to upend the second-seeded Leopards in a Commonwealth Coast Conference quarterfinal at Boston.

The Nor’easters took their first lead of the second half at 53-51 on a Devin Thompson jumper with 5:53 remaining.

The Leopards were not able to regain the lead as CJ Autry hit six free throws down the stretch to ice the game.

Autry finished with a team-leading 14 points.

Ian Therriault had 14 points to lead all scorers for Wentworth.

UNE will face Roger Williams in the semifinals at Bristol, Rhode Island, at 7 p.m. Thursday.

(16) KENTUCKY 78, ALABAMA 53: Jamal Murray scored 23 points and the Wildcats (21-7, 11-4 SEC) pulled away from the host Crimson Tide (16-11, 7-8).

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