FRAMINGHAM - The sixth-ranked Smith College basketball team dropped their first game of the season to Framingham State University on Saturday afternoon by a score of 78-74 in a rematch of last season's NCAA First Round.

Both teams move to 6-1 on the year. 

Game Highlights

• The first quarter saw back-and-forth play before Katherine Haselton hit a trey to break a 17-17 tie with just over a minute to play in the first that sparked the Rams offense to a 20-to-nine run topped off by another Haselton trey midway through the second
• The Rams held the lead for the remainder of the first half, but a Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) layup in the final minute cut the Framingham State lead to six at the break
• Smith kept the Rams advantage within reach in the third quarter and made their move in the final minutes of the period. A Katty Haidul layup with 90 seconds left in the third stretched the Rams lead back out to 54-48 before the Pioneers rattled off an 11-3 run capped by an Ally Yamada (Seal Beach, Calif./Fairmont Prep Academy) trey at the buzzer to take their first lead since the opening quarter
• Yamada would drain another from downtown to open the fourth and after trading a few points the Rams made their strike. Haidul drained a jumper on a second chance effort with just over five minutes to play. After misses on the next three possessions O'Connor sunk a layup to tie the game at 71 with just over four minutes to go
• After a turnover Gwendolyn Carpenter would hit the backend of two shots from the line to take the lead 72-71. Smith was called for an offensive foul on their next chance and O'Connor cleaned up her own rebound to stretch the Framingham State lead to three points with 94 ticks left
• The Rams got a stop on the other end and O'Connor was fouled going to the basket and converted both of her free throws to put the Rams up five with 45 seconds to play
• Smith called timeout and advanced the ball; Yamada was fouled shooting a three-pointer and made all three of her foul shots
• Framingham called time out with 39 seconds left and advanced the ball to their end. The Rams three point attempt was no good, but Haidul grabbed the offensive rebound. Carpenter was fouled with five seconds to play and hit her two from the line to reach the final margin.

Inside the Numbers

• Yamada led the way for Smith with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists off the bench
• Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) recorded her third double-double of the year with 10 points and 11 boards
• Ella Sylvester (Everett, WA/Everett) and Selam Maher (Hopkins, MN/St. Louis Park) each finished with seven points off the bench
• Smith shot 41.2% (28-of-68) from the field, 33.3% (9-of-27) from behind the arc, and 75% (9-of-12) from the free-throw line

Up Next
Smith looks to get back in the win column Wednesday, December 7 at Williams. Tip-off is set for 7:00pm.

(Portions of this recap courtesy to FSU 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.