NEW LONDON, Conn. – Sophomore guard
Kori Barach tallied her eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds as the Amherst College women's basketball team used a strong first quarter to power a 58-47 win over Connecticut College in NESCAC action on Friday night at Luce Field House.
The Mammoths improved to 15-7 overall and 3-5 in NESCAC play, while the Camels fell to 7-13 overall and 1-6 in conference action.
The Mammoths return home next Friday (Feb. 10) to host Colby for a NESCAC tilt at 7 p.m.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
* The Camels scored the first basket of the game on a layup from sophomore guard Abby Ilusioro, but Conn. College's lead only lasted 18 seconds before sophomore forward
Maya Cwalina evened the score. The basket kicked off a 12-0 Mammoths run in which Cwalina scored 10 of Amherst's points, staking the Mammoths to a 12-2 lead that they never relinquished.
* A 10-0 run late in the second quarter pushed the Amherst lead to 34-17 at halftime with Cwalina scoring 4 more points in the stretch to enter the break with 14 points.
* The Camels got a bit closer in the third quarter but still entered the final frame trailing by double digits with a jumper from sophomore guard
AnLing Vera in the final minute of the third giving the Mammoths a 40-27 lead.
* Connecticut College opened the fourth quarter on a 21-4 run to cut Amherst's lead to five when junior forward Rebecca Oberman-Levine sunk a jumper with 4:45 to play. Cwalina converted a traditional three-point play to push Amherst's lead back to 49-41 with 2:47 to play and the Mammoths went 9-of-12 from the free throw line down the stretch to secure the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* Cwalina joined Barach in double figures with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
* Vera dished a game-high five assists.
* The Mammoths shot 40 percent (20-of-50) from the floor while holding the Camels to 36 percent (20-of-56) shooting. Each side made three three-pointers.
* Senior Jaycie Rojik scored 14 points to lead the Camels and Oberman-Levine was just behind with 13 points.
