Amherst Tops Basketball, 76-39
Game StatisticsAMHERST, Mass. (Nov. 25, 2008) - The Mount Holyoke College women's basketball team fell 76-39 to nationally ranked Amherst College this evening at the LeFrak Gymnasium. With their second straight win over the Lyons, the Lord Jeffs improved to 5-0. Mount Holyoke fell to 1-4.
Thirteen players found the scoring column for Amherst, which shot 47.5% (29-61) from the field and drained ten three pointers. The Lord Jeffs racked up 21 assists on 29 made baskets and scored 34 points off 24 Mount Holyoke turnovers. Their bench accounted for 45 points, and they outrebounded the Lyons 30-24. Leading the way for the hosts was sophomore guard Jaci Daigneault, who tallied 12 points and four steals. She knocked down a pair of shots from beyond the arc. First year forward Lem Atanga McCormick and senior center Susannah Ludwig chipped in with ten points apiece. Atanga McCormick also pulled down six boards.
Mount Holyoke connected on 36.7% (11-30) of its attempts from the floor and 75.0% (15-20) from the charity stripe. The Lyons starters scored all 39 of their points. Junior guard Erin Cain netted a season best 18 points to pace the guests. She converted 4-of-9 shots from the field and 9-of-10 from the line. Mount Holyoke also received a boost from first year guard Christine Chancy, who recorded 11 points and a game high eight rebounds. Cain and Chancy both delivered a trifecta.
The Lyons trailed 9-8 after a jumper by Chancy at the 16:35 mark, but Amherst exploded for an 8-0 run over the next 1:41 to extend its lead to 17-8. Senior forward Yasmine Harik fueled the spurt with a conventional three point play followed by a layup. Chancy sliced the deficit to 17-11 on a three pointer from the wing, but the Lord Jeffs outscored Mount Holyoke 30-10 over the final 13:27 of the opening frame to take a 47-21 advantage into the locker room. Daigneault posted all 12 of her points in the first half. Chancy had ten for the Lyons.
In the second half, it was all Amherst. The Lord Jeffs outscored the Lyons 29-18 after the break to seal things. They led by as many as 39 points (69-29) after a trifecta by senior guard Amanda Otieno with 8:45 remaining in regulation. Cain registered 14 of her 18 points in the second stanza. All nine of her made free throws came in the half.
Mount Holyoke (1-4, 0-0 NEWMAC) will return to action to Tuesday, when it hosts Elms College at 7:00 p.m.