First-place Lyons remain perfect in NEWMAC with 67-54 win at Babson

February 6, 2008

BABSON PARK, MA- The first-place Wheaton College women's basketball team used a 19-5 second-half run to blow open a two-point game and remain undefeated in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), as the Lyons downed Babson College, 67-54 on Wednesday at Staake Gymnasium. The Blue and White has won 11 of its past 12 games in moving to 15-5 overall, and its 8-0 league record marks the best conference start in program history. The Beavers fell to 9-11 and 4-4.

Wheaton jumped out to a 7-3 lead by 16:59 of the first half following sophomore Ida Kruse's (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) three-point play, but Babson countered with the next five points to take what proved to be its final lead of the game. The Lyons led just 18-16 with less than 8:30 remaining in the stanza before putting together a 10-1 run to forge ahead 28-17 at 5:05. Junior Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) drained a three-pointer 58 seconds later to put Wheaton up by 12, the Blue and White's fifth field goal in five tries during a 3:40 span.

The Lyons held a 34-27 advantage at the intermission despite shooting 39.4 percent in the half while turning the ball over nine times. Babson also struggled from the field, hitting 32.4 percent of its shots, and the Beavers committed 12 turnovers.

After hitting two of their first three second-half shots, the Lyons missed their next five tries, and Babson took advantage by rallying to within 41-39 on senior Caitlin Fenn's (Niantic, CT/Norwich Free Academy) three-pointer. By that point, Wheaton had yielded 12 points in the first 5:32 of the stanza but would allow just 15 more on 5-of-20 Babson shooting during the remaining 14:28 of regulation.

A Pleat lay-up sparked the Lyons' game-changing 19-5 run, which lasted for 7:48 and included six points each from senior Becky Aitchison (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic) and sophomore Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford). From Fenn's three until a Babson bucket 8:49 later, with 5:39 to play, Wheaton yielded the hosts just three free throws and one basket on 11 attempts.

Champney led all scorers with 16 points while snagging eight boards, turning in 10 and six, respectively, during the second half. Aitchison tallied 15 points, going 4-of-4 in the second half, and recorded nine rebounds and three assists. Pleat had eight points and three assists off the bench, while sophomore point guard Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) turned in seven rebounds, five assists to one turnover, and three steals, as she reached the 100-assist plateau for the season. Wheaton nearly doubled up the Beavers at the charity stripe, going 17-of-25, while the hosts were 9-of-14.

Fenn led Babson with 15 points, going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, while senior Linsey Poulson (Leominster, MA/Leominster) had 12 points and nine rebounds. Classmate Nicole McManus (Baldwinsville, NY/John C. Birdlebough) added 11 points and eight boards, while senior Caitlin Boulier (Wolcott, CT/Saint Margaret's-McTernan School) notched 10 points.

Wheaton faces another tough test on Saturday, traveling to the United States Coast Guard Academy for a 1:00 p.m. game. The Bears entered Wednesday in second place in the NEWMAC, having only lost their first league game over the weekend.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 2/7/08.
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