WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore guard
Reeya Patel tallied 16 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals to lead the Amherst College women's basketball team in a 59-49 win over Worcester State University on Monday night at WSU's Wellness Center.
The Mammoths, ranked 11th in the nation in both the
D3hoops.com and
WBCA Coaches polls, won their fourth straight game to improve to 14-2, while the Lancers fell to 9-9.
Amherst is back in action on Friday (Feb. 4), returning to NESCAC action with a visit to Bowdoin at 7 p.m.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
* After trading baskets early in the first, Lancers junior captain Erin Gallella hit a three-pointer to break a 7-7 tie and give WSU the lead but the Mammoths responded with nine unanswered points to close the first quarter and took a 16-10 lead into the second after first-year
Kori Barach completed a three-point play.
* The Mammoths continued to build the lead in the second quarter, hitting 10-of-15 shots from the floor to lead at halftime by a 37-25 margin. Patel scored eight points on 4-of-5 shooting in the second quarter while senior captain
Dani Valdez shot 3-of-3 for six points.
* After senior captain
Lauren Pelosi hit a short jumper to put the Mammoths up by 16 late in the third, the Lancers went on an 11-2 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters to cut the Mammoths lead to seven midway through the fourth quarter, but the Mammoths forced two turnovers and held the Lancers to 1-of-5 shooting in the final five minutes.
BY THE NUMBERS
* Patel scored in double figures for the third straight game and her five steals were a career high.
* Pelosi scored 11 points on 5-of-9 field goal shooting and Valdez tallied 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting to join Patel in double figures.
* Senior captain
Gabrielle Zaffiro led the Mammoths with seven rebounds.
* Senior captain Gigi LeMay led the Lancers with 18 points and 6 steals. Gallella added 14 points for Worcester State and first-year forward Abby St. Martin pulled down 9 rebounds.
* The Mammoths shot 45 percent (26-of-58) from the floor while the Lancers hit at a 38 percent (21-of-55) clip.