Smith Secures 70-32 NEWMAC Victory Over Blue Basketball

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Three different Smith College players scored in double-figures to lead the visiting Pioneers to a 70-32 victory over Wellesley College basketball in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Wednesday night a Gracia Mangano Martore '73 Court.

Smith improves to 10-14 overall and 6-9 in conference play following their third consecutive victory. For the moment, the Pioneers occupy the final spot in the NEWMAC postseason tournament. The Blue drop to 4-18 overall and 2-13 in the NEWMAC following their final home contest of the season.

Sophomore Samantha Alakai (Pukalani, Hawaii) scored a game-high 16 points and added seven rebounds off the bench for Smith. First year Kennedy Guest-Pritchett (Fairburn, Ga.) added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor while collecting eight boards. Sophomore Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif.) also finished in double-figures with 11 points while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. In all, 12 different players scored for the visitors. 

Senior Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.) and sophomore Kayla Jang (South Pasadena, Calif.) each finished with ten points for the Blue. Scott pulled down a game-high 10 boards to record her third double-double in her last four games, while also adding three blocks. Jang recorded eight rebounds and a steal and junior Ailis Hanley (Cranston, R.I.) added six points, two rebounds, two assists and a block off the Wellesley bench. 

Smith opened up a 6-2 lead through the first three minutes of the contest before eventually take a 10-6 lead following a jumper from Alakai at 2:59.  Jang countered with a triple and a layup on back-to-back possession to push the Blue out to an 11-10 lead at 2:15. Alakai then closed out the quarter with a triple to give Smith a 13-11 advantage at the end of the first. 

Three-straight Wellesley free throws to open the second helped the Blue regain their one point advantage, this time at 14-13, before Holland knocked down the first of her three three-pointers to push the Pioneers to a 16-14 lead at 8:56. Guest-Pritchett added a pair of free throws, to make the score 18-14, but Wellesley quickly countered to draw within one at 6:56 thanks to a pair of free throws from sophomore Anna Cahill (New London, N.H.) and a Jang layup. Smith responded with a 10-0 run, eventually taking a 28-17 lead when Alakai made one of two free throws at 2:08.  Each team added five more points before the end of the quarter to help Smith take a 33-22 lead at the break.

Smith went on to outscore the Blue 18-10 in the third quarter to open up a 51-32 lead heading into the fourth. The Pioneers would only continue to add to their lead in the game's final period. The visitors closed out the game on a 22-0 run, including a 19-0 advantage in the fourth quarter, to take the 70-32 victory.

The Pioneers earned a 45-36 advantage on the glass in the contest, shooting 40.3 percent from the field to just 26.7 percent for the Blue. Smith also forced 26 Wellesley turnovers while committing just 10 of their own.

Wellesley will wrap up the conference regular season on Saturday, February 20, with a 12:00 PM contest at Springfield. Smith will return home to host Clark in a NEWMAC game on Saturday at 2:00 PM.

Tonight's game was part of the national Play 4Kay initiative to raise awareness and funds for women's cancer research. Since its inception in 2007, the Play 4Kay initiative has helped the Kay Yow Cancer Fund support $5.18 million in women's cancer research and related projects. To make a donation to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, visit Wellesley College basketball's official Play 4Kay fundraising page by clicking here.