Strong Second Half Send Women's Basketball Past Wheaton

BOX SCORE

NORTON, Mass.- The Wheaton College women's basketball team dropped its second game of the season to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) leader Babson College on Wednesday night, suffering a 69-50 setback after holding a 38-30 halftime edge in Emerson Gymnasium.
 
Falling to 11-7 overall and 8-3 in league play, the Lyons are now tied with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) for second place in the conference standings, while the Beavers extended their winning streak to seven games while improving to 15-3 and 11-0 in the NEWMAC.
 
Babson sophomore Nicole Wurdeman (Rowley, Mass.) turned in an all-around solid performance with 17 points, seven blocks, four rebounds and three steals, while first-year Allanah Wynn (Quincy, Mass.) tallied 17 points and five assists.  Classmate Sarah Collins (Weymouth, Mass.) contributed 13 points and five boards off the bench, and sophomore Kathleen King (Framingham, Mass.) added seven points, nine boards and four steals.

First-year Jeana Trimboli (Norwalk, Conn.) was Wheaton's lone player in double figures with 13 points.  Senior Ida Kruse (Vershire, Vt.) recorded nine points and eight rebounds, while classmate Andrea Bailey (Needham, Mass.) added eight points and six assists.  First-year Natasha Colon Ortiz (Holyoke, Mass.) turned in seven points and seven rebounds during 14 points off the Lyon bench. 
  
After a slow start that saw Babson trail 38-30 at the break, the Beavers ripped off 39 of the second half's 51 points, shooting 58.6 percent while stymieing Wheaton's offense, as the Lyons made just three field goals and shot 9.1 percent.  The visitors came out of the second-half gate strong, scoring 15 of the frame's first 19 points for a lead that wasn't relinquished, as Babson was carried by Wurdeman's 11 points for a 45-42 edge just 5:28 in.
 
The Lyons were held to six points for more than the first half of the second stanza but trailed by just four thanks in part to its eight offensive rebounds by the 10:39 mark.  Four straight points brought Wheaton to within 49-48 before the Beavers closed things out on a 20-2 run in the final 8:26.
 
Both teams hit on 12 field goals in the opening half, with the Lyons doing so on seven fewer attempts, shooting 44.4 percent from the floor, 46.2 percent beyond the three-point arc and 88.9 percent on free throws.  Bailey's three 13 seconds in triggered an 8-2 Wheaton run before the Beavers answered with six straight points for the first of six ties in the half.  The hosts hit seven of their first 13 shots, including going 4-of-5 from deep, to lead 19-15.  Babson knocked down seven of its initial 14 attempts.
 
With the hosts holding a 21-15 advantage following two Champney free throws at 10:29, the Beavers scored seven straight to take a 22-21 lead with 8:28 to go before intermission.  The teams stayed within two points of one another until Wheaton finished the half on a 10-2 spurt over the last 3:21 to lead 38-30, as four different Lyons scored during the run.  The hosts had an eight-point advantage despite Babson holding a 22-14 edge on the boards.
 
The Beavers will look to continue their NEWMAC unbeaten streak when they travel to Smith College on Saturday for a 2pm game.

Note: Press release courtesy of Wheaton College Sports Information.