Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--Ellie Giles (Charlottesville, Va./St. Annes Belfield) had 11 points, four rebounds, and four blocked shots in potentially her final game at Ainsworth Gym as the Smith College basketball team beat Wellesley College 68-54 in the final New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season game of the season.

Paulina Solis (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) led all scorers with 16 points as Smith tied the school's single season win mark in improving to 19-5, with a 14-4 mark in the NEWMAC.  Wellesley falls to 12-11, and 11-7 NEWMAC record.  The Pioneers have clinched the No. 2 seed and a bye in the first round of the NEWMAC tournament.  Wellesley will be the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and will host a quarterfinal game on February 22.  Lizzy BelBruno (Hanover, N.H./Hanover) chipped in 12 points for Smith. Leslie Leong led Wellesley with 14 points, and Malia Maier added 12.

The game was neck-and-neck through out the first half - Smith opened up a 13-6 lead on a three from BelBruno four minutes into the game, but Wellesley went on an 11-5 run fueled by a three point play by Natalie Anderson to get within a point at 18-17.  Giles fed Solis for a layup that gave Smith a 22-17 advatage with 9:12 to go, only to see Wellesley score 12 of the next 18 points for a 29-28 lead.  Sydney Parkmond (Waterbury, Conn./Chase Collegiate)'s free throw with 45 seconds left in the half sent the team's into the break tied at 29.

The Blue and the Pioneers traded baskets on the first 10 possessions of the half, before Smith took the lead for good on Brittany Purington (Weare, N.H./John Stark)'s basket from five feet with 11:37 left in the half.  The Blue stayed within three until Solis singlehandedly put the game to bed.  The first year hit a pair of free throws to put Smith up 48-43 at the 7:26 mark, then knocked down a pair of threes to open up a 54-43 advantage. 

Giles pushed the lead to 14 with a pair of free throws with 46 seconds, and Wellesley would get no closer the rest of the way.

Smith tied the record of 19 wins set by the 1995-96 team that advanced to the ECAC tournament - the Pioneers will have a week off before playing a to be determined opponent in the NEWMAC semi-finals on February 25 at 3:00 p.m. at Babson.  A win would set the new single season record and mark the first 20 season in program history.