eAMHERST, Mass. -- Laura Mendell scored a game-high 22 points -- draining a critical three-pointer with 53 seconds that broke a 60-60 tie -- to help the Amherst College women's basketball team to a 70-64 victory over Rowan University at LeFrak Gymnasium Monday afternoon. 

Amherst improved to 12-1. The Mammoths are at No. 21 Tufts Friday for a 7 p.m. tip-off. Rowan fell to 6-8 on the season. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Mammoths trailed by seven with 1:06 to go in the third quarter, but Amherst scored five points in the final 48 seconds to cut the deficit to 49-47 by the end of the stanza. Mendell hit a jumper with 48 ticks left and Kori Barach followed with a steal, then fed Mendell who drove the court, scored a transition lay-up and was fouled in the process, hitting the foul shot with 25 seconds left to make it a two-point game.

* Rowan turned the ball over on its first two possessions, which allowed the Mammoths to regain the lead when Sylvia Liddle banked home a 12-foot jumper and Mendell hit a short jumper for a two-point lead. After Rowan tied the game again, Barach buried a three-ball from the left corner for a 54-51 lead wit 8:24 remaining. 

* With 3:42 to go, Rowan regained the lead with a pair of free throws. Just 1:20 later, Mendell was fouled on a drive and went to the line, giving the Mammoths a 58-57 lead with 2:22 left. With 1:47 to go, Anna Tranum drove the lane and muscled home a shot over two Rowan defenders for a 60-57 lead. But Rowan's Kristina Johnson drained a three-pointer that tied the game with 1:11 remaining. 

* On the Mammoths' next possession, Liddle got the ball down low but had her path blocked so she threw the ball back to Mendell at the top of the key. Mendell calmly drained her trey attempt for a 63-60 lead with 53 seconds to go. Her two free throws with three seconds left sealed the victory. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Mendell scored 12 of her 22 points in the final 10 minutes, and 17 of the Mammoths' 28 points over the final 11 minutes of action. Mendell went 8 of 9 from the foul line in the game, and Amherst finished 15 of 17 from the charity stripe.

* Maya Cwalina also had a big night, scoring 17 points, one off her career-high, 15 of which came in the first half. Barach finished with nine points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists in the victory. Tranum also had 9 points and added 8 rebounds.Little grabbed seven boards. Reeye Patel led the team with 5 assists.

* The Mammoths shot 41.3 percent (26 of 63) despite making just 3 of 17 three-point attempts in the game. Two of those three buckets came in the final quarter.