Springfield Tops Blue Basketball in NEWMAC Action, 69-42

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Springfield College got out to a 16-4 first quarter lead and never looked back, defeating Wellesley College basketball, 69-42, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday afternoon at Gracia Mangano Martore '73 Court. 

Springfield secured their second win of the week to improve to 11-6 overall and 6-3 in NEWMAC play. The Blue now stand at 3-13 overall and 1-8 in conference.

Sophomore Heather King (Lebanon, N.H.) and junior Ava Adamopoulos (Ludlow, Mass.) led the way for the Pride with 12 points apiece. King score eight of her team-high 12 in the first quarter, while Adamopoulos came off the Springfield bench to shoot a perfect six-for-six from the floor. Junior Lexi Windwer (Milton, Mass.) also finished in double-figures with 10 points, while senior Emily Gins (Fort Myers, Fla.) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and chipped in with 9 points. Classmate Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) had a game-high seven of the Pride's season-best 18 assists.

Senior Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.) scored a game-high 20 points for Wellesley. Scott was perfect from the free-throw line knocking down all 12 of her attempts. Scott also pulled down a team-high five rebounds, while adding three blocks and a pair of steals. Sophomore Kayla Jang (South Pasadena, Calif.) finished in double-figures for the fourth time in as many games, scoring ten points to go with two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The Pride opened the game on an 8-0 run, before Scott got Wellesley on the board with her first free throws of the game. A bucket from Ailis Hanley (Cranston, R.I.) followed Scott's free throws, but the Pride went on to close out the quarter with another 8-0 run to take a 16-4 lead into the second.

Springfield continued on to outscore the Blue by a slim margin in the third, 20-17, as Adamopoulous scored eight of her 12 points in the frame. The Pride would carry a 36-21 lead into halftime before eventually extending their advantage to 23 points, at 55-32, at the end of the third quarter.

The visitors would increase the Wellesley deficit to as many as 27 in the fourth quarter before closing out the 69-42 victory.

Springfield shot 54.7 percent from the floor, while Wellesley managed to hit on just 23.1 percent of their attempts. The Pride also held a commanding 46-24 advantage on the glass.

Springfield returns home to host non-conference MCLA in their next game on Monday evening at 5:30 PM. Wellesley will play at Emerson in NEWMAC action on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM.