AMHERST, MA – The Amherst College women's basketball team's 40th consecutive home victory was never in doubt, as the Lord Jeffs led from start to finish and had three players record a double-double during a 72-48 result against Bowdoin College Saturday afternoon at LeFrak Gymnasium. 

The Polar Bears snapped a 25-game home win streak the last time they took on the Lord Jeffs in Amherst, as the Jeffs' last loss in LeFrak came at the hands of Bowdoin back on Jan. 30, 2009. Since that 63-61 defeat Amherst is 40-0 at home and 19-0 in conference play. Bowdoin (15-4, 2-3 NESCAC) leads the all-time series, 17-6, but the Jeffs (19-1, 5-0) hold a 4-3 advantage in the past seven meetings. 

Amherst used a trademark strong start to score the first eight points of the game and would lead by at least five for the remainder of the first half. The Jeffs' lead hit double digits on a layup by Caroline Stedman '12 (Walpole, MA) with 12:59 to play in the period and reached as high as 16 (30-14) in the final two minutes on another Stedman layup. Bowdoin senior guard Katie Bergeron accounted for the game's next five points, but the hosts would carry a 31-19 lead into the break. 

Bowdoin shot only 22.6 percent from the floor in the first half thanks in large part to nine blocks for the Lord Jeffs, who held a 26-16 rebounding margin in the first 20 minutes of action. Amherst shot only 2-of-10 from long range in the first half but made up for it with a strong defensive effort. 

With 13:42 remaining in regulation Bergeron drove to the lane and drew a foul, putting her at the line with 999 career points. She hit her first to make it a 46-26 game, resulting in a warm round of applause from the crowd as she became the 11th player in program history to record 1,000 career points. Bergeron would connect on the ensuing free throw as well to make it a 19-point game, but that's as close as the Polar Bears would get.

Jaci Daigneault '11 (Guilford, CT) had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead Amherst, with Sarah Leyman '11 (Cincinnati, OH) adding 14 points and 11 boards to give both Lord Jeff captains a double-double on the afternoon. Also recording a double-double for Amherst was Lem Atanga McCormick '12 (Chicago, IL), who finished with 12 points, 10 boards and three blocks. 

Bergeron led Bowdoin with 12 points, with Colleen Sweeney adding 10 points and six rebounds. The Polar Bears shot 29 percent for the game and were out-rebounded by a 53-30 margin. 

Amherst will host Tufts University on Friday, Feb. 4, while Bowdoin returns to action Tuesday, Feb. 1, for a 7 p.m. game at Maine-Farmington.

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