Jan. 12, 2008

Box Score

NORTON, Mass. - The Wheaton women's basketball team used a balanced scoring attack to extended its winning streak to five with a 70-50 victory over Babson College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action Saturday afternoon in Emerson Gymnasium. The Lyons have now won nine in a row at home.

Wheaton raised its overall record to 9-4 and conference mark to 2-0, while the Beavers fall to 4-8 and 1-1. The home team has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the teams.

Wheaton came out of the gate strong, knocking down its first seven shots to capture a 15-7 advantage just over five minutes into play. Five different Lyons scored during that stretch, with senior Becky Aitchison (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic) and sophomore Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford) contributing four points each. Babson cut its deficit to three on a lay-up by senior Caitlin Boulier (Wolcott, CT/Saint Margaret's-McTernan School) that made the score 18-15 with eight minutes left in the half.

The hosts answered with 13 straight points during 4:25 for a 31-15 lead, as Wheaton drained a trio of three-pointers in the run. The Blue and White went 6-of-7 on threes down the stretch, including three treys from junior Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy), and the Lyons carried a 40-23 advantage into the break. Smith led all scorers with 11 points, Aitchison had nine and sophomore Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) had five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Wheaton shot 51.7 percent from the floor and 63.6 percent from three-point territory, with assists coming on 13 of 15 field goals.

In the second half, the Beavers eventually got as close as 16 with 13:14 remaining, but a 16-4 Wheaton spurt over 3:51 gave the hosts their largest separation at 64-36 at the 8:29 mark. The Lyons led by at least 17 the rest of the way, finishing the game shooting at a 50.0 percent clip overall and 52.9 percent from beyond the arc. Of Wheaton's 26 field goals, 23 were credited with assists. The Blue and White also held a 34-25 rebounding advantage.

Smith finished as the game's high scorer with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Aitchison had 11 points after making four of her five shots to go along with five assists. Bailey turned in an all-around solid performance with 10 points, game highs of seven assists and five steals, and six rebounds. Junior Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) had 10 points and six rebounds, classmate Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) posted nine points, while Champney added eight markers and six boards.

Senior Caitlin Fenn (Niantic, CT/Norwich Free Academy) was the lone Babson player in double figures with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Senior Nicole McManus (Baldwinsville, NY/John C. Birdlebough) and junior Jillian Brooks (Ashland, MA/Ashland) chipped in with eight points each, as the Beavers shot 40.4 percent from the field, 14.3 percent from three and 41.2 percent at the free throw line.

NOTE: Taken from a Wheaton College press release.