Trinity Downs Blue Basketball in Opening Round of Curry Tip-Off Tournament

MILTON, Mass.­­ -- Trinity College (Conn.) opened the game on a 9-0 run en route to a 53-30 non-conference victory over Wellesley College basketball in the opening round of the 2015 Curry College Women's Basketball Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Blue slide to 1-3 overall with the result. The contest was the first of the year for Trinity, as the Bantams opened their 2015-16 season with a victory. 

Senior Mackenzie Griffin (Stamford, Conn.) led the way for Trinity, scoring a team-high 10 points. Griffin also added six rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal. First year Erin Cunningham (Wilton, Conn.) chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds off the bench in her collegiate debut.

Wellesley senior forward Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.) scored a game-high 12 points, leading the Blue in scoring for the fourth-consecutive game to open the season. Scott also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Chelsea Brown (San Jose, Calif.) collected six rebounds, while junior Ailis Hanley (Cranston, R.I.) added four points and was one of three Blue players to record five rebounds.

Hanley halted the Bantams 9-0 run with a layup at 6:15 of the first, but the first quarter bucket did little to slow Trinity's momentum. The Bantams added seven more points before the end of the quarter, as first year Erica Junquet (Monroe, N.J.) closed the quarter with back-to-back baskets to give Trinity at 16-2 lead. 

Trinity continued to cruise in the second quarter, outscoring the Blue 16-9 to take a 32-11 advantage at halftime.

The Blue slowed down the Trinity attack in the second half, holding the Bantams to 21 points while scoring 19 of their own. Wellesley outscored Trinity 14-11 in the final frame, with Scott scoring six of her 12 points. However, Wellesley was unable to overcome the early deficit, as Trinity took the 53-30 victory.

In all, 12 different players scored for the Bantams, as they shot 37% from the field and held a 42-35 rebounding edge in the contest.

Wellesley will play in the tournament's consolation game tomorrow, Sunday, November 22, at 1:00 PM versus Southern Vermont College. Trinity will play host Curry in the championship game at 3:00 PM. Curry beat Southern Vermont College, 86-62, in the second game of the opening round on Saturday.

CURRY COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT

Trinity 53, Wellesley 30
Curry 86, Southern Vermont 62

CONSOLATION GAME
Sunday 1 p.m. – Southern Vermont vs. Wellesley 

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Sunday 3 p.m. – Trinity vs. Curry