GAME INFORMATION
Score: Smith College 68, Springfield 48
Records: Smith (10-4, 4-2); Springfield (11-4, 5-1)
When: Thursday, January 11, 2018
Location: Springfield, Mass.
Smith Starters: Bondi, Marquez, Holland, Guest-Pritchett, Barriscale
Springfield Starters: Restituyo, Goslin, McAllister, King, Jacques

Senior guard Paige Marquez (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prepatory) scored a career-high 21 points to propel the Smith College basketball team to a 68-48 victory over Springfield College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action Thursday afternoon at Blake Arena. With the win, the Pioneers improve to 10-4 on the year with a record of 4-2 against league foes, while Springfield falls to 11-4 overall and 5-1 in the NEWMAC.

SMITH HIGHLIGHTS

• Marquez's 21 points came on 8-of-11 shooting from the field.
• Off the bench, Katy McClellan (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) recorded 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in the victory.  

SPRINGFIELD HIGHLIGHTS

• Junior forward Gracie Restituyo notched her sixth double double in the last eight games, recording 18 points and 13 rebounds.
• Lauren Rudolph finished with seven points and two rebounds.
• Emily Jacques notched five points and nine rebounds in the setback.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After trading baskets to start the contest, Smith took an 11-8 lead on a pair of free throws from Katy McClellan (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) at the 5:14 mark of the first quarter, sparking an 11-0 run from the Pioneers over the next 1:54 to give the visitors a 20-8 advantage with 3:20 to play in the stanza. From there, Restituyo would make a lay-up and two free throws to pull the Pride to within eight, trailing 20-12 after one quarter.

After Smith's Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) hit a three to open the second quarter, giving Smith a 23-12 lead, the Pride pulled back to within six on a three-pointer from Lauren Rudolph with 7:35 to play in the first half. With 3:09 on the clock, Stephanie Foukaris (Nicosia, Cyprus/Pascal English School Nicosia) hit a three pointer from the top of the arch to push the Pioneers' lead to nine, but a pair of free throws from Chelsea McAllister with 2:15 to play brought Springfield College to within seven, still trailing 32-25. Smith would push their lead back to 11, but Alex Goslin hit a jumper from the top of the key as time expired in the first half, sending the Pride into the locker room down 36-27.

 Following a lay-up from Guest-Pritchett 1:19 into the second half to give Smith a 38-27 advantage, Springfield College pieced together a 7-0 run, capped by a jumper from Jacques to pull the Pride to within four, trailing 38-34 with 6:38 on the clock. With 4:24 to play in the third, Marquez drilled a three to make it 43-36, Pioneers, before Smith extended their lead to 13 on a lay-up from Foukaris with 1:43 remaining. After Rudolph stopped the run with a jumper, Marquez would finish the stanza with a bucket to give Smith a 51-38 lead at the end of three.

Smith continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter as Marquez would seal the win with a pair of three-pointers to lift the Pioneers to victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Field Goals: SMI  23-52 / SPR 20-63
• 3-Point FG: SMI  5-11 / SPR 1-14
• Free Throw: SMI 17-18 / SPR 7-11
• Points off Turnovers: SMI 15 / SPR 12

UP NEXT
The Pioneers return to action on Wednesday, January 17 at Clark University. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.

(Portions of this recap courtesy to Springfield Athletics)