NORTHAMPTON - The Smith College basketball team pushed its win streak to five games with a decisive 91-60 win over University of Saint Joseph in the opening game of the Smith Holiday Classic Saturday afternoon in Ainsworth Gymnasium. The eighth-ranked Pioneers improve to 8-1 on the year, while the Blue Jays are now 10-2 this season. 

Inside the Numbers

• Graduate student Sofia Rosa (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) registered 17 points and eight rebounds as senior Amelia Clairmont (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton School) poured in a season-high 15 points to go along with six boards
• Senior Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) filled the stat sheet with eight points, seven boards, and seven assists
• First-years Maggie Fleming () and Virginia Johnson (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest) posted six points apiece
• Smith led the way in rebounds 43-25), points in the paint (46-30), points off turnovers (19-11), and bench scoring (39-6)
• The Pioneers, who lead all Division III in field goal percentage, shot 58.1% (36-of-62) from the field, 43.5% (10-of-23) from three-point range, and 64.3% (9-of-14) from the free throw line
• The Blue Jays shot 33.8% (22-of-65) from the floor, 26.7% (4-of-15) from long distance, and 80% (12-of-15) from the free throw line 
• Smith finished with 21 assists as all players scored 

Game Highlights

• The Pioneers started 7-of-7 from the field and Rosa's layup helped build a 16-5 lead just over five minutes into the contest. An 8-0 run by the Blue Jays made it a three-point game and Clairmont ended the quarter with her third trey of the stanza to put Smith up 24-20
• Smith outscored their opponent 28-12 in the second quarter and shot 66.7% from the field to hold a 52-32 halftime advantage
• The Blue Jays cut the lead to 14 in the third and would trail 67-48 at the end of the period
• After exchanging baskets early in the fourth, Smith used a 16-0 run midway through the final quarter to find themselves up 91-55 with just over a minute remaining

Up Next
Smith closes out 2023 against Dickinson College Sunday at 3:00pm and looks to complete a third-straight calendar year undefeated at home.

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 and Instagram.