AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts women's basketball team scored just two points in the last three minutes of regulation and were shut out in overtime as they fell 58-55 to Central Connecticut Wednesday at the Mullins Center.

After the Blue Devils erased an early UMass lead shortly after intermission, the teams went back and forth for much of the second half.

"Their defense was pretty good. It obviously rattled our guards, turning the ball over 27 times," UMass coach Sharon Dawley said. "We threw a lot of flat passes that were picked off. Today our worst habits came out at once."

Carolann Cloutier hit a spinning floater in the lane to tie the game at 53-53 with 3:03, but both offenses dried up as the teams traded missed shots and turnovers into the final minute.

Cloutier made another spinning jumper in the lane to put UMass up 55-53 with 31 seconds left, but CCSU hurried the ball up the floor and Kirsten Daamen scored inside with 14 seconds left to tie it. The Minutewomen got one last look but freshman Millie Niggeling's 10-footer hit the side of the rim forcing overtime.

Daamen scored inside 1:19 into the extra session to put the visitors ahead. That was all CCSU needed. UMass was 0-for-6 from the floor and four of its 27 turnovers came in overtime as they fell to 1-1. CCSU turned the Minutewomen's turnovers into 17 points. UMass was 7-for-16 from the free throw line.

"Free throws drove me crazy. Missed layups drove me crazy and not boxing out drove me crazy," Dawley said. "So I am officially crazy."

Jasmine Watson led UMass with 15 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. Shakia Robinson added 12 points and nine boards. Despite the numbers, Dawley was frustrated with her inside tandem.

"We have post players that should be dominating and for the most part they were not dominating," Dawley said. "Jas came on strong at the end, but if we're turning the ball over there can't be much post presence."

Daamen led CCSU (2-0) with 20 points.

UMass is on the road for the first time when they play at Miami (Ohio), Saturday at 2 p.m.

Central Connecticut struggled to shoot the ball early as the Minutewomen opened a 16-10 lead just over halfway through the first half. But the Blue Devils found their range and scored 12 straight to take a 22-16 lead with 5:26 left in the half.

In just her second game, Niggeling came to the rescue for the Minutewomen. She scored the first six points in a 15-4 run that restored UMass' lead and momentum, putting it ahead 33-26 with 21.4 seconds left in the half. Central's Danielle Davis hit one free throw with a second left making it 33-27 at intermission.

"I was very encouraged by Millie's minutes," Dawley said. "I thought she came out aggressive on offense and she played better post defense than our post players who've been going at this a little bit longer."

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.