WPI Cruises to NEWMAC Victory Over Blue Basketball

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Three WPI players scored in double-figures, led by a game-high 14 points from sophomore Ama Biney (Worcester, Mass.), as the Engineers raced to a 67-35 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over Wellesley College basketball on Wednesday evening at Gracia Mangano Martore '73 Court. 

The Engineers, now winners of ten-straight, improve to 12-1 on the season and 4-0 in NEWMAC games. Wellesley drops to 3-8 overall, suffering their first home setback of the year to slip to 1-3 in conference games.

Junior Ailis Hanley (Cranston, R.I.) finished in double figures for the third consecutive game to lead the Blue with 10 points. Senior Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.) added eight points and a team-high six rebounds, while sophomore Kayla Jang (South Pasadena, Calif.) and first year Brenna Butler (Smithtown, N.Y.) each chipped in with six points.

Biney was joined in double figures by classmate Stasha Greenalch (Newington, Conn.) and senior Lisa Mendez (Yonkers, N.Y.), as the duo combined to help the Engineers' bench outscore the Blue 46-9. Biney also registered eight rebounds to lead all players, while also notching three assists, three steals and a block for WPI. In all, 12 different players scored for the visitors.

WPI used a 9-0 run over the final minute and a half of the opening quarter to open up a 16-7 lead, as Biney converted on an 'and-one' before Rogers and senior Haili Welton (Southbury, Conn.) knocked down back-to-back threes to close out the quarter.

The Engineers' lead stretched to 18-7 in the opening minutes of the second when Biney knocked down a jumper at 8:39. However, only one point separated the sides in the second quarter. Wellesley used a 7-0 run to close the gap to 25-19, before Biney added the final points of the quarter with just under a minute to play to send WPI into the break with a 27-19 advantage.

The sophomore guard set the tone for the Engineers in the third quarter, stealing the inbounds pass to open the second half before converting on a layup to make the score 29-19. Biney's bucket ignited a 14-2 WPI run, as the visitors eventually closed out the third with a 41-21 advantage. 

WPI continued to add to their lead in the fourth quarter, taking their largest advantage of the evening, at 61-29, with 3:47 left in regulation. From there, the Engineers closed out the 67-35 victory.

WPI shot 48 percent from the floor in the contest, out-rebounding the Blue 39-29 and racking up 14 assists to just three for Wellesley.

Both teams will continue NEWMAC play on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM in Worcester. Wellesley will travel to Clark, while WPI is set to host Wheaton.