Beavers Improve to 8-0 for First Time Since 2012-13

BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Kelly Walsh (Goffstown, N.H.) scored a game-high 15 points and senior Nicole Hiller (Rocky Hill, Conn.) posted her third consecutive double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead Babson College to a 72-44 win over visiting Connecticut College in women's college basketball action on Sunday afternoon at Staake Gymnasium.

With the win, Babson improves to 8-0 on the year, while Connecticut College falls to 0-2.

Walsh tied for game-high honors with five assists and three steals, while sophomore Megan Bauman (East Lyme, Conn.) contributed 14 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Beavers. Classmate Jade Perry (Auburn, Maine) came off the bench to contribute 10 points and seven rebounds in the win.

Sophomore Jaycie Rojik (Scituate, Mass.) finished with nine points and seven boards, while junior Claire Gulbin (Wilton, Conn.) chipped in with eight points, five assists and three steals to lead the Camels.

Walsh, sophomore Samantha Smith (Greenfield, Mass.) and Hiller combined for 12 points and Babson limited Connecticut College to just 2-of-17 shooting on the way to building an 18-5 lead after one quarter. Sophomore Molly Cronin (Wellesley, Mass.) knocked down a three-pointer to cut the Camels' deficit to 20-10 just over a minute into the second before the Green and White responded with an 11-2 run that included hoops from four different players to stretch its advantage to 31-12 with 4:19 to go before halftime.

Walsh canned a three-pointer just before the break and converted a three-point play to make it 43-24 a minute into the third quarter. Connecticut College got as close as 45-30 on a putback by Cronin at the 7:16 mark, but the Beavers answered with an 23-8 spurt over the next 12 minutes to put the game out of reach.

Perry and first-year Elyse Flannery (Round Lake, N.Y.) scored on back-to-back trips to make it 58-38 at the end of the third, and Perry opened the fourth quarter with another hoop for a 22-point lead. Hiller buried a three-pointer and Bauman followed up her layup in transition with a triple of her own to give Babson its biggest lead of the game at 68-38 with 4:11 to go in the contest.

Despite shooting just 37.7 percent, the Beavers outscored the Camels 30-16 in the paint and finished with a 55-39 edge on the glass.

Connecticut College shot just 24.2 percent and went just 4-of-26 from deep (15.4 percent) on the day.

Babson returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Mitchell at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are now 12-2 all-time against Connecticut College and have won four straight in the series.
• Babson is off to an 8-0 start for the first time since 2012-13.
• The Beavers have held their last five opponents below 50 points and have not allowed an opponent to shoot better than 32.3 percent in any of their first eight contests.
• Babson, which held a 13-5 edge in second-chance points, matched its season high with 16 offensive rebounds.