Middlebury dropped a non-league contest to Keene State 60-56 inside Pepin Gym on Thursday night. The visiting Owls (10-7) hit 13-14 free throws in the contest including 7-8 in the final minutes, thwarting a late challenge by the Panthers. Keene State returns to conference action with a home game against UMass-Boston on Saturday, while Middlebury waits until January 31 for its next game, as the Panthers host NESCAC foe Williams.

To open the game, Middlebury missed its first 11 shots and turned the ball over on six more possessions as the hosts fell in to an 11-0 hole roughly nine minutes into the contest. Keene State's Courtney Roberts scored three lay-ups during the opening run, as Sandi Purcell capped it with a three-pointer at 11:42. Middlebury got on the board at 10:59 on a lay-up. The Panthers sliced into the deficit with two more baskets, making it an 11-6 game with 8:13 left to play in the opening half.

Keene State twice pushed its lead to eight points before Middlebury used a 6-0 burst, highlighted by five points from Rachel Crews, making it 16-14 deficit at the 5:00 mark. Keene State's Kelsey Cognetta followed, sinking a three-pointer, before Sarah Kaufman countered with a three to cap the first half scoring at 21-19 in favor of the visitors.

Middlebury tied the game to open the second half when Alexis Coolidge made a lay-up at 19:41. Crews gave the Panthers their first lead at 17:30 on another lay-up. Keene State held a slight lead over the next seven minutes before Purcell sank another three, giving Keene State a 42-34 lead at 10:32. The Panthers kept it a two-possession game for several minutes before Purcell nailed another three at 4:43, giving the visitors a 51-42 advantage.

Kaufman took control of the next three Panther possessions, nailing a three, sinking a jumper and connecting on two free throws, cutting the deficit to 55-49 with 1:38 left in the game. A jumper by Middlebury's Sabrina Weeks made it a 55-51 game with 1:03 left as the Panthers began to foul the Owls down the stretch. Kelsey Cognetta sandwiched four made free throws around an Elizabeth Knox basket, giving Keene State a 59-53 lead with 22 seconds to play.

On Middlebury's next possession, Knox set-up Kaufman on a three-pointer with: 08 on the clock, setting the score at 59-56. The Panthers' full-court press denied the ball to Cognetta as Roberts received the in-bounds pass and was quickly fouled. With four seconds remaining, Roberts missed the first of two free throws, but sank the insurance charity toss for the 60-56 lead. Middlebury turned the ball over on its ensuing possession as the Owls dribbled out the final seconds of the contest.

Kaufman led all scorers with 23 points, the second-highest output of her career. Crews finished with 11 points, while Knox added nine points, a team-best nine rebounds to go along with five assists and two steals.

Cognetta paced the Owls with 18 points, adding three steals and three assists. Roberts finished with a double-double of 11 points and a game-high 11 caroms. Purcell finished with 11 points, while Stephanie D'Annolfo had a game-high six assists.