Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) scored 20 points, and Sydney Parkmond (Waterbury, Conn./Chase Collegiate) registered her third double-double of the season as the Smith College basketball team posted a 62-55 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) win over Emerson College in the first meeting between the two schools on Saturday.

Parkmond scored 13 of her 15 points after halftime, and tied her career high with 15 rebounds.  Over her last four games, Parkmond is averaging 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Paulina Solis (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) also hit double-figures, with 10 points and passing out six assists.  Solis now sits alone in fifth place on Smith's all-time assist leaderboard, with 215 career handouts.

Kristin Brice led the visitors with 20 points. Smith is now 6-8 overall, and 6-4 in the NEWMAC, while Emerson is 5-9, and 2-8 in NEWMAC games.

Both teams struggled from the floor in the first half; Emerson shot just 25.9 percent (7-for-27), while Smith shot only 24.3 percent (9-for-37).  Neither team led by more than three points until Smith opened up a nine point lead with 3:33 to play.  Drummond put back a miss by Jazmine Collins (Springfield, Mass./Sabis) for a 21-15 advantage, and Alyssa Barrett (Berlin, Conn./Berlin)'s layup upped Smith's lead to 24-15.  The Lions outscored Smith 6-2 to end the half, as Brice's jumper with 34 seconds to play gave Smith a 26-21 lead at the break.

Two more free throws from Brice early in the second half gave Emerson their first lead since mid-way through the first period, but Smith slowly pulled away.  Lauren Weston (Florence, Mass./Northampton)'s jumper from the elbow put the Pioneers up 39-38, and after Collins connected on 1-of-2 foul shots, Drummond drilled a three from the left wing for a five point lead. 

Catherine Cloutier's free throws made it a six point game (50-44) with 6:14 to play, but Solis fed Parkmond with a wraparound, no-look pass that Parkmond converted while being fouled, then hit the free throw for a nine point advantage.  The two connected again with 56 seconds left for Smith's biggest lead of the game at 62-50 before Brice scored and Elizabeth Horan hit a three for the final score.

Smith forced Emerson into 25 turnovers, and overcame Emerson's near perfection at the free throw line.  The Lions were 24-of-25 from the charity stripe.

Smith travels to Clark for a Sunday afternoon matchup tomorrow.  Emerson will also be on the road, playing at MIT on Sunday.  

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