Blue Basketball Back to Winning Ways; Wellesley Tops Wheaton

NORTON, Mass. -- The Wellesley College basketball team handed Wheaton College a 54-52 loss in the Lyons' NEWMAC regular season finale on Wednesday night inside Emerson Gymnasium. 

With the win, Wellesley (15-8, 12-7 NEWMAC) snapped its five game losing streak and swept its second consecutive regular season series versus Wheaton. The Lyons fall to 19-6 overall and 14-6 in conference play. Wheaton awaits the winner of the Smith/Emerson matchup for a possible share of the NEWMAC regular season title.

Blue senior Leslie Leong posted a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting to go along with 11 boards, two steals and a pair of assists. First-year Ailis Hanley also had a solid all-around game, notching nine points, six rebounds and three steals. Junior  Morgyne Weaver chipped in with nine points, seven rebounds, three assists and two swipes, while classmate Kendall Bianchi added seven points, four boards, and two assists in the victory. Wrapping up the Wellesley highlights, senior Katie Shulenberger recorded five points, five rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals. 

Lyons' sophomore forward Kiley Shoemaker collected her sixth-straight double and ninth in last ten games with 11 points, 18 rebounds (five offensive), four blocks and two steals. Also for the Lyons, Laura Pierce finished with 11 points, three assists and two rebounds, while classmate Kirsten Ferrari had ten points, a career-high eight rebounds and five assists. Junior forward Abbie Brickley registered eight points, nine rebounds, two steals and one assist. Rounding out the Wheaton half of the box score, junior Kenzie Kuhn compiled seven points, six rebounds and one assist.

Wheaton grabbed the early momentum in the game, with a three from Kuhn giving the Lyons a 13-7 lead, just six minutes into the game. Wellesley battled back to tie the contest at 15-15 by scoring eight of the games next 10 points, including threes from Leong and Bianchi. 

After more back-and-forth action, Wellesley was able to grab a four-point edge, as a Terrace Clark lay-up put the Blue ahead 23-19 with 6:46 remaining in the half. Wheaton later cut the Blue lead to one, and then took a 27-26 lead on a pair of Ferrari free throws with 27 seconds in the stanza. However, Wellesley's Hanley canned a layup with two seconds left in the period to give the Blue a 28-27 halftime edge.

Wheaton struck first in the second half, as a jumper from Shoemaker produced a quick 29-28 differential on the scoreboard, 27-seconds into the action. Wellesley responded with a 12-3 run, spearheaded by a team-high five points from Leong for a 40-32 advantage (14:04).

The Blue maintained their lead until the 4:57 mark as Wheaton chipped away at its deficit with a 15-7 spurt capped by a pair of free throws from Brickley. Wellesley junior Meghan Sargent reclaimed the lead converting two free throws on its next possession, but Pierce put home a layup at 3:24 and Ferrari knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing for a 52-49 advantage with 2:58 left to play.

Wellesley went 5-of-6 at the free throw line down the stretch and avoided a game-winning layup with one-second left on the clock, as a defensive rebound from Shulenberger clinched the Blue victory.

The Lyons grabbed a season-high 58 rebounds including 29 on the offensive glass, held a 14-4 margin in second chance points and a 25-9 differential in bench points. The Blue had nine steals, six blocks and recorded a .309 field goal percentage (17-for-55).

Up next, Wellesley hosts Mount Holyoke College on Saturday, February 22nd at 2 p.m. to wrap up its regular season slate. The Blue will celebrate Senior Day, as well as hold a Team IMPACT signing at halftime. Wheaton is idle until the upcoming NEWMAC tournament.