Westfield State Downs Blue Basketball in Holiday Tournament Final

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Despite a career-high 28 points and 19 rebounds from senior Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.), Wellesley College basketball dropped an 80-61 decision to Westfield State University in the final of Westfield State Holiday Tournament on Sunday afternoon at the Woodward Center. 

The setback drops Wellesley to 3-7 overall. The Owls improve to 7-4 on the season and 6-1 in their last seven games.

Scott recorded her second consecutive double-double, and fourth of the season, to pace the Blue. Wellesley's senior captain also collected a game-high five blocks and a team-high three steals.

Junior Ailis Hanley (Cranston, R.I.) joined Scott in double-figures, scoring 12 points, while snagging 12 rebounds to record her second straight double-double. Sophomore Kayla Jang (South Pasadena, Calif.) chipped in with seven points, six rebounds and a game-high seven assists.

Westfield State senior Forbasew Nkamebo (Amherst, Mass.) finished with a double-double for the hosts, scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Junior Jill Valley (Orange, Mass.) was the high-scorer for the Owls with 17 points, while classmate Alyssa Darling (Palmer, Mass.) added 13 points off the bench.

Nine points from Scott helped the Blue to a 16-14 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Westfield State responded with an 18-0 run in the second quarter, turning a 21-17 deficit into a 37-21 lead with 3:46 left to play before the half. Scott then scored 12 of the final 14 Wellesley points to close out the half and pull the Blue back to within ten, at 45-35, at the break. 

The Blue continued to chip away in the second half, cutting the deficit to single-digits with 1:34 left in the third, when Scott made the score 58-50 following a layup.

Wellesley would eventually get as close as five points following a Scott layup with 5:44 left in the fourth quarter. However, Nkamebo answered with a layup at 3:37, spurring a 14-0 Westfield State run to end the contest and give the Owls the tournament title, 81-60.

Wellesley returns home and to New England Women's and Men's Athletics Conference play on Wednesday evening, January 6, with a 7:00 PM contest versus WPI. Westfield State will play at Fitchburg State at 5:30 PM on Wednesday.