NEED TO KNOW:
Score: No. 3 Smith 55,  No. 2 Springfield 50
Records: Pioneers 23-4, Pride 19-8

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Smith College basketball team advanced to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship for the first time since the 2013-14 season, as the Pioneers knocked off Springfield College, 55-50, in Blake Arena on Friday evening.

With the win, the Pioneers, which are the No. 3 seed in the tournament, will host No. 4 MIT on Sunday, March 1 at 1:00 p.m. in Ainsworth Gymnasium. MIT defeated top-seeded Babson College, 78-72, on Friday night to also earn a spot in the NEWMAC Championship.

BY THE NUMBERS

• First-year Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) poured in a game-high 20 points with seven rebounds and two assists
• Junior Elle Jo Whalen (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville) led the team with 11 rebounds, while sophomore Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) finished with eight points, three assists, and three steals
• First-year Ashlyn Bohn (Tucson, Ariz./Tucson High Magnet School) provided energy off the bench with seven points and four boards
• For the Pride, senior Emily Jacques posted a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams traded baskets for the better part of the first quarter as Rachel Vinton scored on a second effort to make the score 9-9 with 2:57 remaining. The Pioneers would use a quick 6-0 spurt to boost their lead to 15-9 with a three-pointer from Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) as time expired in the first quarter. 

At 8:35 in the second quarter, Clairmont finished a lay in to go up 19-12. With 6:51 remaining, Hourihan would finish through contact and knock down the free throw to trim the Pioneer lead to 19-16. Springfield would pull within one at the 2:23 mark with a Jacques three, courtesy of the second effort from Goslin, making the score 26-25. With 31 seconds left, Ruffner would convert 1-of-2 from the line to take a 29-25 lead, but Goslin would storm down the floor and finish in the paint to make it 29-27 at the half.

At the 6:15 mark, Taylor Hall tipped away a pass and through it ahead to a striding Goslin for the fast break bucket to give the Pride a 32-31 lead. At 2:34, Ashlyn Bohn (Tucson, Ariz./Tucson High Magnet School) put back a miss to bring the Pioneers within a possession at 35-33, but with 1:41 to go, Goslin would keep the possession alive and go to the line to give Springfield the 36-33 lead with one more quarter to play. 

At 8:27, Jacques stepped into a wing three from Vinton letting Springfield take a 39-35 lead, but Smith would respond out of a timeout with a triple from Ruffner to make the score 39-38 in favor of the Pride with 7:43 remaining in the game. Smith would use a 11-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 49-41 lead with 2:05 left in the contest. A Jacques three with 1:46 to go would bring the Pride within five at 49-44 as several missed opportunities from the line for the Pioneers allowed the Pride seek a comeback. Out of a timeout, Hourihan canned a wing three to make it 50-47and give Springfield a chance with 33 seconds remaining. Late free throws allowed Smith to keep the Pride at bay. 


GAME NOTES

• Smith's last appearance in the championship game was against Springfield in 2014.
• The Pioneers have tied the program record for wins in a season (23).
• Smith shot 35.2% (19-of-54) from the floor, 23.5% (4-of-17) from three-point range, and 56.5% (13-of-23) from the free throw line.
• The Pride shot 30.2% (19-of-63) from the field, 33.3% (6-of-18) from behind the arc, and 42.9% (6-of-14) at the charity stripe.
• The Pioneers owned a 45-42 advantage on the boards.

(Portions of this recap courtesy to Springfield Athletics)

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a 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.