NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The No. 17/19 Smith basketball team left no doubt in its convincing 68-46 win over Babson College to claim the NEWMAC title on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers moved to 23-2 overall and remain undefeated in Ainsworth Gymnasium (13-0) with their win over the Beavers. Sophomore forward Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for her performance throughout the week. 

Top Performers

• Ruffner finished with 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and six assists
• Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) added a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards
• Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) chipped in 10 points, eight assists, three rebounds and two steals

How it Happened
After conceding a pair of free throws on the opening possession, Smith went on a 9-0 run, as a layup by Pickunka created a 9-2 lead at the 5:02 mark. The Beavers used a Megan Bauman jumper to come within five, but the Pioneers rattled off five straight points, capped by a three-pointer from Jane Loo (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga). Babson's Kiara Simone Davis knocked down a three in the final seconds, making the score 14-7 at the end of the first.

Following a pair of free throws from Bauman, Ruffner connected on a layup, sparking a 12-0 run that resulted in a 36-16 advantage with 1:53 on the clock. Babson ended its almost four-minute scoring drought with a layup, however, the teams would score on bacl-to-back possessions in the finals 30 seconds  to give the Pioneers a 38-22 advantage at halftime. Smith shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor in the period and was a perfect 3-of-3 from long distance.

The Pioneers came out of the break with a string of six unanswered points and the lead would grow to 31 (60-29) as Morgan Morrison (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Country Day) ended the quarter with a layup.

Smith continued to carry the momentum into the fourth quarter as Cassidy Creager's (Fairview, PA/Villa Maria Academy) bucket created the largest margin of the day at 33 (62-29). Babson chipped away at the deficit, scoring the games final eight points but was too late as the Pioneers celebrated the 68-46 final.

Game Notes

• Smith shot 50.0 percent (30-of-60) from the floor while Babson was 26.5 percent (13-of-49) from the field. The Pioneers knocked down five three-pointers, compared to just one by the Beavers. Smith also led the way in rebounds (41-19)
• This is the seventh time this season Smith has shot over 50 percent from the field
• This is the third time in prorgram history the Pioneers have won 23 or more games
• The Pioneers have won four of its last five meetings against Babson
• Smith will be making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and third straight

Up Next
Smith will now await their draw in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA selection show is scheduled for Monday at 2:30 p.m. at NCAA.com. Continue to check SmithPioneers.com for upcoming schedules and results.

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.