Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The Smith College basketball team broke out of a slow second half to pull away for a 61-50 win over Wheaton College (Mass.) on Saturday afternoon.  The Pioneers forced 24 turnovers en route to their fourth straight win and fifth in six games.

Devon Quattrocchi (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) led Smith with 12 points as Smith improved to 14-4, 9-3 in the NEWMAC, while Wheaton, led by Abbie Brickley's 18 points, fell to 8-11, and evened up at 6-6 in the NEWMAC.

The Lyons took an early 13-8 lead on Brickley's layup at the 12:40 mark of the first half, but Smith tied the game at 18 on Maddie Page (Arvada, Colo./Jefferson Acad.)'s free throw with 8:28 left.  Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth)'s basket put Smith up 22-20 with 6:45 to go, and the Pioneers carried a 33-28 lead into halftime.

Both teams struggled to open the second half, as Smith connected on just one of their first 20 shots to open the frame, while Wheaton went 2-for-6 and commited six turnovers in the first 10 minutes.  The Lyons took their first lead of the half on Gabbie DePalo's foul shot with 11:06 left, but Smith tied the game on Lizzy BelBruno (Hanover, N.H./Hanover)'s hoop with 9:53 to go.  That kickstarted a 10-0 run for Smith, as Paulina Solis (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) picked Lauren McClelland's pocket and fed classmate Maddie Page (Arvada, Colo./Jefferson Acad.) for a fast break layup, and Brittany Purington (Weare, N.H./John Stark) fed Alyssa Barrett (Berlin, Conn./Berlin) in the left corner for a three that game Smith a 48-38 advantage.

BelBruno nailed another three with 3:53 to go that put Smith up 53-40, and Wheaton got no closer than 11.  Smith outrebounded Wheaton 40-30, and knocked down 17-of-25 free throws, including 12-of-15 in the second half.  BelBruno added 11 points for Smith, while Ellie Giles (Charlottesville, Va./St. Annes Belfield) led all players with 10 rebounds. 

Smith will be at Springfield College on Wednesday, February 1 at 7:30 p.m.  Wheaton will also be on the road, at WPI for a 7:30 contest on February 1.