GAME INFORMATION: Smith 61  Wheaton 49
RECORDS: Smith (16-7, 8-6); Wheaton (4-20, 2-13)
LOCATION: Northampton, Mass.
SMITH STARTERS: Guest-Pritchett (F), Alakai (F), Castro (G), Bondi (G), Chihara (G)
WHEATON STARTERS: Black (F), Bodreau (F), Zientek (G), Cuthbertson (G), L'Heureux-Carland (G)

In front of a packed house at Ainsworth Gymnasium, the Smith College basketball team cruised to a 61-49 win over Wheaton College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action Saturday afternoon. Prior to the game, the Pioneers honored their three seniors: Jade Chihara (Lahaina, Hawaii/Lahainaluna), Mandy Castro (San Diego, Calif./Poway) and team manager Rebecca Laudermilk.

SMITH HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore forward Kennedy Guest-Pritchett (Fairburn, Ga./The Lawrenceville School) registered her 10th double-double of the season with 23 points, 14 rebounds while also adding four steals.
• Sophomore forward Lauren Bondi (Burnaby, BC, Can./Notre Dame Secondary), who made her first start of the season, totaled nine points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals.
• Junior guard Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) came off the bench to finish with eight points, two assists and one steal.

WHEATON HIGHLIGHTS

• Natalie Wind led the offensive effort for the Lyons as the freshman guard contributed 14 points off the bench on 5-of-10 shooting from the field.
• Chelsea Rairdon recorded nine points while Sophia Black added eight points and three rebounds.
• Jill Bodreau and Lexi L'Heureux-Carland each grabbed four rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Pioneers jumped out to a 7-4 lead on Chihara's three-pointer 3:15 into the game but back-to-back treys from Wheaton's Wind and Bodreau gave the the Lyons a lead at the 4:53 mark. Guest-Pritchett's layup at the buzzer ended the first quarter with Smith in front 11-9.

A long distance shot from Rebecca Olivieri put the visitors ahead 12-11 but the Pioneers put together a 10-0 run over the next 1:51 to claim a 21-12 lead. Stephanie Foukaris (Nicosia, Cyprus/Pascal English School Nicosia), Lauren Bondi (Burnaby, BC, Can./Notre Dame Secondary), Paige Marquez (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prepatory), and Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) all knocked down baskets during the run. A jumper from Guest-Pritchett was answered by Wind's two free throws for a 27-20 Pioneer lead at the half.

A 6-0 run by Smith midway through the third quarter extended their lead to 16 points (39-23) at the 5:31 mark. The Lyons would maintain pressure and found themselves trailing by eight (45-37) with 1:14 left to play in the third. A jumper from Marquez and three-pointer from Bondi gave the Pioneers a comfortable 50-37 advantage going into the fourth period.

The Lyons would get as close as nine (54-45) but Smith maintained their double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Pioneers shot 40.3 percent (27-67) from the field and 75.0 percent from the free throw line. Smith dominated the glass, holding a 45-26 advantage.

UP NEXT
The Pioneers will travel to Mount Holyoke for a NEWMAC matchup on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.