AMHERST, Mass. -- The Amherst College women's basketball team put three players in double figures Tuesday night as it opened the season with a 73-47 victory over the Fighting Scots from Gordon College on Hixon Court in LeFrak Gymnasium. 

Amherst (1-0) heads to SUNY-Morrisville Friday for the Mustangs' Women's Basketball Tournament. The Mammoths will face Oswego State at 7 p.m. Friday before playing the consolation or championship game Saturday. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS::

* The game was decided in the first quarter as Amherst shot over 50 percent from the floor and built a 25-6 lead after the opening 10 minutes. 

* Junior Kori Barach, who led all scorers with 18 points on the night, opened the Mammoths' season by knocking down a three-pointer 13 seconds into the game. The Mammoths led 7-6 but closed the quarter on an 18-0 run to build the 19-point lead. 

* Sophomore Laura Mendell got that mega run started with a steal that led to a lay-up from Sylvia Liddle. Liddle was fouled on the play and hit the ensuing free throw for a 10-6 lead. Later, Liddle grabbed an offensive rebound, fed Mendel, who then found Annie McCarthy, who drained a trey for a 13-6 lead. On the ensuing Gordon possession, Liddle grabbed yet another defensive board, leading to a McCarthy lay-up in transition off a pass from Mendel.

* The Mammoths continued to play suffocating defense, as Maya Cwalina and Reeya Patel came up with steals to keep Gordon off the scoreboard. With 4:06remaining in the period, Patel grabbed an offensive board and scored the putback for a 17-6 Amherst lead. Less than a minute later, Patel found Cwalina in the paint and the junior layed a shot up and in for a 19-6 lead. With 3:05 to go, Patel grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast for the lay-up and 21-6 lead. 

* Liddle had a lay-in and a short jumper before the quarter ended to make it 25-6 Amherst. The Mammoths shot 52.4 percent (11 of 21) from the floor in the quarter. Gordon had 8 turnovers in the first 10 minutes, six coming off Mammoth steals. Amherst won the battle of the boards in the first stanza, 12-7. 

* Just 1:24 into the second stanza, Liddle knocked down a three-pointer to give Amherst a 22-point lead, 28-6. 



By THE NUMBERS:

* Barach had 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks to go with her game-high 18 points. Liddle finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Patel finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. 

* Both McCarthy and Anna Tranum notched 7 points each. Alix Stuart had 6 points and 5 rebounds. Cwalina had 6 points and 4 rebounds. 

* Gordon finished with 25 turnovers to 16 for Amherst. The Mammoths notched 13 steals in the victory, while holding the Fighting Scots to 26.5 percent shooting (13 for 49). 

* Amherst first-years Brielle Renwick and Macie Nugent made their collegiate debuts, with Renwick scoring 2 points and grabbing 1 board and Nugent registering 1 assist.