NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The Smith College basketball team suffered their first loss of the season with a 59-48 defeat to NYU Sunday afternoon at Ainsworth Gymnasium. With the loss, the Pioneers fell to 4-1 on the year, while the Violets boosted their record to 2-1.

SMITH HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior guard Katy McClellan (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) finished with her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
• Senior forward Kennedy Guest-Pritchett (Fairburn, Ga./The Lawrenceville School) posted a game-high 15 points to go along with seven points.
• First-year Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) scored 10 points off the bench.

NYU HIGHLIGHTS

• Janean Cuffee came off the bench and poured in a career high 25 points on 5-of-5 shooting from three-point range. 
• Bianca Notarainni grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds and Annie Barrett added 10 points, five assists and four boards.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Smith's largest lead of the game came when senior guard Lauren Bondi (Burnaby, BC, Can./Notre Dame Secondary) knocked down a jumper 2:31 into the opening quarter to give the Pioneers an 8-2 advantage. NYU responded with a 10-0 run as the visitors held a 17-13 lead at the end of the first. 

With 5:37 to go in the second quarter, the Pioneers used a McClellan layup to come within three (22-19) but the Violets were able to pull away for a 33-24 score at the half.

In the third quarter, NYU was able to carry over the momentum and build a 42-30 lead on a Cuffee trey. Back-to-back free throws from Pickunka trimmed the margin to seven (47-40) going into the fourth. 

Smith cut the lead to three (51-48) with 1:55 remaining but was unable to complete the comeback as NYU converted free throws down the stretch for the 59-48 final.


GAME NOTES

• Smith held a 44-35 advantage on the glass and forced 11 turnovers.
• The Pioneers shot just 1-of-12 (8.3%) from three-point range compared to 8-of-19 (42.1) percent from the visitors.
• The Violets improve to 2-0 all-time against Smith. 
• Lauren Bondi's (Burnaby, BC, Can./Notre Dame Secondary) streak of 16 consecutive games with a 3-pointer came to an end in today's loss.

UP NEXT
The Pioneers will host Springfield College in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both teams on Wednesday, November 28 at 7:00 p.m.

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is an NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.