Slow Start Dooms Wellesley Basketball in 70-53 Setback to Springfield

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Springfield College junior Chelsea McAllister (Baltimore, Vt.) dropped in a game-high 21 points to lead the visiting Pride to a 70-53 victory over Wellesley College basketball in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon at Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse.

Springfield is now 10-3 on the season and 4-1 in the NEWMAC following their second victory of the season over the Blue. Wellesley drops to 3-8 overall (1-4 NEWMAC) with the defeat.

McAllister finished the game 6-for-9 from the floor while shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. She was one of three Springifeld players to finish in double-figures, along with classmate Gracie Restituyo (Barrington, R.I.) and senior Heather King (Lebanon, N.H.). Restituyo netted 16 points, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double with a game high-nine, while also dishing out four assists and picking-up a block. King finished 7-for-9 from the floor to score 14 points in 27 minutes of action.

Sophomore Caitlin Aguirre (El Paso, Texas) scored a team-high 17 points for Wellesley. Aguirre knocked down two three-pointers (2-for-5) while dishing out a pair of assists and collecting three steals. Senior Chelsea Brown (San Jose, Calif.) added ten points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting off the Blue bench. First year Alyssa Cho (Hillsborough, Calif.) had a team-best six boards and senior Kayla Jang (South Pasadena, Calif.) tallied three assists. 

Springfield never trailed in the contest, shooting a blistering 59.6% (28-of-47) from the field. The Pride opened the game on an 11-2 run, eventually building a 22-8 edge when first year Allie Brennan (North Haven, Conn.) hit a layup with 36 seconds left in the opening quarter. Springfield went on to outscore the Blue 15-11 in the second quarter to take a 37-19 lead into the half.

The Blue fought back in the second half, outscoring the Pride 34-33 over the final two quarter of action, but were ultimately doomed by the slow start. Springfield took their biggest advantage of the day when King hit a layup to make the score 49-21 midway through the third quarter. The Blue would knock the 28-point edge all the way back to 16 with 4:37 left in regulation, as Jang score to cap a 7-2 Blue run that made the score 61-45. Wellesley would get as close as 15 in the final two minutes before Springfield closed out the 70-53 final.

The Blue hit 47.5% (19-of-40) of their attempts from the field in the contest, shooting 5-for-14 (35.7%) from three. The Pride had a 25-20 advantage in rebounds.

Wellesley will play at Babson in their next game on Thursday, January 11 at 7:00 PM. Springfield will travel to MIT on Tuesday, January 9, at 7:00 PM.