Box Score WORCESTER, Mass. - Smith College senior co-captain Lauren Weston (Florence, Mass./Northampton) hit the game-winning basket with 24.1 seconds left to lift the Pioneers to a 58-57 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference victory over host WPI Saturday afternoon at Harrington Auditorium.

The win was the eighth in nine chances for the Pioneers (7-13, 3-8 NEWMAC) over the Engineers (14-7, 7-5 NEWMAC).

A back-and-forth second half culminated in the big shot from the Northampton, Mass. native as the Pioneers had the basketball with the Engineers ahead, 57-56 after WPI's Ama Biney made one-of-two free throws with 57 seconds remaining. Smith called a full timeout with 39 seconds to play in regulation, and first-year Samantha Alakai (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou School) found Weston open for a close range jumper with 24 seconds to play to give the Pioneers a lead they never relinquished.

WPI missed a layup on the ensuing inbounds but snagged the offensive rebound with just seven seconds showing on the clock. However, a steal by sophomore Mandy Castro (San Diego, Calif./Poway) following an Engineers' timeout sealed the win for Smith.

The Pioneers shot well in the second half, making 14-of-29 shots from the floor (48%), helping to overcome a four point halftime deficit. The Engineers led by as many as six in the second half, taking a 43-37 lead on a layup by Amaia Gritsko with 11:40 to play.

Smith embarked on a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 47-43 lead with 7:38 remaining, but WPI answered with an 8-1 run of its own over the next two minutes to lead, 51-48, with 5:27 left. There were three lead changes and two ties in the final five minutes leading up to the game-winning shot by Weston.

Weston led the Pioneers offensively on the day with a season-high 16 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists, while first-year Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) finished with nine points and eight boards. Alakai hit 3-of-4 shots from the floor en route to her nine points.

WPI also placed a pair in double figures, led by Biney's 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor while Dani Davis finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Smith returns to action on Wednesday when they host non-conference foe Trinity College at 7 p.m.