Smith Edges Wellesley Basketball in Overtime

NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--Rosa Drummond scored a season high 26 points as the Smith College basketball team remained undefeated in league play with an 82-73 overtime victory over Wellesley College on Saturday afternoon.  Smith has now won eight straight games and is 10-1, with a 5-0 NEWMAC record, while Wellesley is 3-6 overall, and 2-3 against NEWMAC foes.

Drummond fell one short of her career high of 27, set against Nazareth College on November 20, 2011.  The junior knocked down eigh of her 13 field goal attempts, including four of seven from three point range, and blocked two shots.  Paulina Solis added 15 points and seven assists, and Devon Quattrocchi had 14 points, four assists, and three steals.  Sydney Parkmond had a team high 10 rebounds

Ashleigh Sargent led the Blue with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Morgyne Weaver had 13 points and nine boards.  Malia Maier and Courtney Jackson also hit double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively.  

In a game that was much closer than the final score indicated, the Pioneers raced out to an early 12-2 lead.  Solis opened the scoring with a fast break layup, then fed Sydney Parkmond for a quick bucket.  Drummond sandwiched a pair of threes around another Solis hoop before the Blue pulled within four on a triple by Maier and a free throw by Weaver.

Smith began to get into foul trouble, allowing the Blue to keep pace in the game.  Three free throws by Jackson and a layup by Sargent pulled Wellesley within two at 19-17, and Leslie Leong canned a three that made it a one point game (23-22) with 8:02 left in the first half.  

Solis' layup at the 3:26 mark pushed the Pioneers' advantage back to six, but two free throws and a layup by Sargent, and a free throw from Weaver got Wellesley within one again.  Smith closed the half on a 6-0 run fueled by a three pointer from Alyssa Barrett and Lauren Weston's basket just ahead of the halftime buzzer put Smith up 38-31 at the break. 

Back-to-back baskets by Devon Quattrocchi and Amanda Zakoske extended Smith's lead to 42-31 in the early stages of the second half, but Maier hit two three pointers to cut the gap to 42-39, and though Smith brought the lead back up 51-41 on Drummond's basket with 13 minutes to play, the Blue went on a 17-7 run to tie the game at 58.  

Two free throws by Weaver gave Wellesley their first lead of the contest, a 62-60 advantage with 2:40 to play, and Sargent knocked down another foul shot for a 63-60 lead.  Solis brought Smith back, sinking a free throw and a layup with 1:08 left to knot the score at 63.  

After Smith turned the ball over with six seconds to play, Wellesley had a chance to win in regulation, but Leong's jumper was off the mark, and the game headed to overtime.

Smith came out firing in the overtime, scoring the first nine points of the frame and never looking back.  Quattrocchi opened the proceedings with a layup, and Solis hit a three with a 68-63 lead.  Parkmond and Zakoske then hit shots before Wellesley got on the board in OT on a layup by Chelsi Scott.  Drummond hit her fourth three of the game at the other end on the next possesion, and Smith knocked down five of eight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory. 

Smith now begins a set of three games away from home, starting with a visit to MIT on January 8.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.  Wellesley will return to the Pioneer Valley to face Mount Holyoke College, also at 7 p.m. on January 8.