Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The Smith College basketball team shot 63% in the second half as the Pioneers rolled to an 82-64 win over Springfield College on Thursday night. Smith improves to 4-7, and 4-4 in the NEWMAC, while Springfield falls to 8-5, with a 4-4 NEWMAC ledger.
Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) continued her scorching play with 22 points and eight rebounds. Over her last five games, the senior is averaging 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds while shooting 47% from the floor and 86% from the free throw line.
Paulina Solis (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) added 14 points and seven assists, while
Sydney Parkmond (Waterbury, Conn./Chase Collegiate) had 12 points and seven boards, and
Jazmine Collins (Springfield, Mass./Sabis) netted 12 off the bench.
Jaimie Bickelhaupt led Springfield with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Emily Gins scored 14 points and Tamara Tribble chipped in with 12.
Smith jumped out to an early 11-4 lead as Drummond sandwiched a three and a short jumper around a basket from
Jade Chihara (Laihana, Hawaii/Laihanaluna), and the Pioneers led 16-6 when Solis knocked down the first of her three three point shots with 14:23 on the clock in the first half. The Pride countered with a 14-6 run over the next four minutes, capped by Ava Adamopolous' putback to tie the game at 20, but Smith would respond, taking a 31-25 lead on
Marissa Munoz-Ruiz (Fairfield, Calif./Justin-Siena)' fast break layup with 5:33 left.
Springfield closed the half on a 12-6 burst, getting within 38-37 on Bickelhaupt's jumper with 38 seconds left in the half. Smith carried that one point lead into the break.
The Pride scored the first basket of the second half on Tribble's layup, but it was all Smith from there. The Pioneers scored 16 of the game's next 18 points, with Solis feeding Collins with a beautiful no-look pass for a layup, then burying a three pointer for a 51-41 lead. Smith upped the lead to 54-41 on a Drummond basket, and never looked back.
Springfield got within nine on Danielle Racette's layup with 8:55 to play, but the Pioneers never relented, taking their biggest lead of the game on
Tia Karapoulios (Cypress, Calif./Cypress)' three pointer in the final seconds.
Smith held a 37-28 advantage on the boards, and had assists on 17 of their 30 baskets.
Smith travels to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy for a 1 p.m. start on Saturday, while Springfield is off until January 15, when the Pride will host Mount Holyoke at 7 p.m.
