Basketball Lets Lead Get Away in 60-53 Setback at Wheaton

NORTON, Mass. – Wellesley College sophomore Kayla Jang (South Pasadena, Calif.) scored a career-high 18 points, but host Wheaton College rallied from a 33-26 halftime deficit to defeat the Blue, 60-53, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Wednesday evening at Emerson Gymnasium.

Wheaton improves to 11-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play. The Blue are now 3-12 on the season and 1-7 in NEWMAC games.

Jang led all scorers in the contest and had a game-best five assists to go along with three steals for the Blue. The sophomore guard has now scored in double-figures in three straight games. Junior Ailis Hanley (Cranston, R.I.) scored 14 points while pulling down four boards and adding four assists. Senior Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.) had a game-high 10 rebounds and finished two points shy of a double-double with eight. Sophomore Chelsea Brown (San Jose, Calif.) grabbed nine rebounds and added six points. 

Seniors Rebecca Arnone (Litchfield, N.H.) and Kiley Shoemaker (Fayetteville, N.Y.) and sophomore Jill Bodreau (Quinebaug, Conn.) each scored 12 points to lead the Lyons, who saw all eight players that entered the game record at least three points. Shoemaker added a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Oppie Morris (Ware, Mass.) chipped in with seven points, while both Morris and Arnone also collected six rebounds, respectively.

Wheaton jumped out to an 11-4 lead to open the contest, before the Blue used a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to 13-11 at 4:02 of the first. Following a Wheaton basket, Brown knocked down a triple to make the score 15-14 at 3:01. Shoemaker then added a free-throw to help Wheaton close out the opening stanza with a 16-14 lead. 

The Blue outscored the Lyons 19-10 in the second quarter, as Jang scored 10 of her game-high 18 in the frame. With the scored tied, at 23-23, two and a half minutes into the second, Wellesley scored six straight points to take a 29-23 advantage when Jang hit a triple at 4:32. The Blue would add four more points before the end of the quarter to eventually carry a 33-26 lead into the break. 

The Lyons turned the tables on the Blue in the third quarter, outscoring the visitors 19-8 to take a four-point, 45-41, lead into the final quarter. Six different players scored in the third quarter for Wheaton, helping the Lyons shoot 58.3 percent from the floor, while knocking down three-of-five from beyond the arc.

Jang opened the fourth with her fourth three-pointer of the game, cutting the margin to one, at 45-44. However, Wellesley would not get any closer for the remainder of the game. The Lyons eventually grew their fourth quarter advantage to eight points before closing out the 60-53 victory.

Both teams continue NEWMAC play on Saturday, with the Blue hosting Springfield at 2:00 PM and Wheaton welcoming Mount Holyoke for a 1:00 PM tip-off.