BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J.) finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while classmate Kristen Ferola (Amherst, Mass.) added 14 points and six boards to help Babson College defeat visiting Mount Holyoke College, 84-41, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at Staake Gymnasium.
With its 12th consecutive victory, Babson concludes the regular season at 20-5 overall and 15-1 in conference play. Mount Holyoke sees its season come to an end at 0-24 overall and 0-16 in the NEWMAC.
In addition to Graber and Ferola, sophomore Brenna LeGacy (Attleboro, Mass.) scored 11 points, pulled down six rebounds and led all players with three steals.
Senior Genelle Green (Windsor, Conn.) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards, while classmate Kelly Stewart (La Canada, Calif.) contributed 10 points to lead the Lyons.
Despite shooting just 34.8 percent over the opening 10 minutes, the Green and White used a late 8-2 run to build a 20-11 lead at the end of one. Green knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to open the second quarter as Mount Holyoke pulled within 20-17, but the Beavers responded with a 15-0 burst to seize control of the game.
LeGacy and junior Giovanna Pickering (Hull, Mass.) combined for 11 straight points to make it 31-17 with 6:45 to go in the second, and Rosenberg knocked down a three and followed with a layup two possessions later to give Babson its biggest lead of the half at 43-21 with 3:12 to go before the break. The Beavers scored 30 points in the paint and took advantage of 18 second-chance points to build a 47-26 edge going to the locker room.
The Lyons scored on their first two possessions of the second half before the hosts responded with a 12-0 run to make it 61-30 on a three-pointer by senior Marissa Cicchetti (Mansfield, Mass.) with 5:44 left in the third quarter. LeGacy pushed the advantage to 67-34 with a jumper in the paint late in the frame, while Tomassini and first-year Elizabeth Lane (Skaneateles, N.Y.) combined for seven consecutive points to extend the lead to 74-37 midway through the fourth.
The Green and White shot 50 percent in the second half and 42.7 percent (32-of-75) for the game, and finished with a 52-29 edge on the glass. The Beavers also outscored Mount Holyoke 46-8 in the paint and 27-2 off of turnovers.
The Lyons shot 32.1 percent (17-of-53) on the afternoon and were just 4-of-14 from beyond the arc.
Babson, which earned the top seed in next week's NEWMAC Tournament, will host either fourth-seeded MIT or fifth-seeded Springfield in the first of two semifinals at Staake Gymnasium next Saturday at 5 p.m.
Game release courtesy of Jeremy Viens, Babson Athletic Communications Director.
