NORTHAMPTON - Felicia Fongemie (Ashford, CT/Marianapolis Prep) scored 19 points and Uta Nakamura (Manhattan, NY/Long Island Lutheran) added 17 as No. 3 Smith defeated No. 10 Trinity, 72-61, on Sunday in a battle of top-10 teams inside Ainsworth Gymnasium. The Bears start the season 5-0, while the Bantams (5-1) are dealt their first loss of the year. Bolstered by a dominant 40 points in the paint, Smith forced 18 turnovers and shot 48.1% (26-of-54) from the floor.



Smith opened the game with a layup from Kate Hackney (Thousand Oaks, CA/Bishop Alemany), assisted by Virginia Johnson (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest), putting them on the board early. Trinity responded with Melissa Whitmore's three-pointer, assisted by Lucy Dorion, shifting the momentum. Fongemie scored consecutive baskets in the paint, narrowing the gap to 8-6 midway through the quarter. However, Maya Carnes of Trinity contributed crucial buckets, and Alex Carbonaro's late layup extended their lead. The first quarter ended with Trinity leading Smith by a score of 17-13.

The Bears outscored Trinity in the second quarter, 17-10, taking a modest lead. Mya Williams (Temple City, CA/Bishop Amat Memorial) initiated the scoring with a layup at 9:45, assisted by Nakamura. Smith capitalized on turnovers, with Bre'Aria Cannon's (Christiana, TN/Link Academy) steal leading to Nakamura's three-pointer, giving Smith a 21-19 advantage at 7:25. Fongemie contributed significantly, registering a layup and a three-pointer, maintaining Smith's lead. Despite a late three-pointer by Trinity's Maya Carnes narrowing the gap to 28-27, Nakamura's layup at 00:31 secured a 30-27 lead for the Bears at the end of the quarter.

Smith held a narrow lead throughout the third quarter against Trinity, outscoring their opponent 22-19. Early in the quarter, Nakamura contributed significantly to Smith's momentum, scoring a layup and two free throws by the 7:22 mark. Virginia Johnson's (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest) three-pointer with 57 seconds left extended Smith's lead to eight points. Despite Kiki Fossbender's late jumper for Trinity, the Bears ended the quarter leading 52-46.

Smith secured a decisive 72-61 win over Trinity with dominant play in the fourth quarter. Fongemie contributed a fast-break layup at 8:42 to extend Smith's lead, followed by a 3-pointer from Cannon at 3:40. Trinity tried to close the gap with a 3-pointer by Lucy Dorion at 0:53, but Smith maintained control with key free throws from Johnson and Cannon, who both converted successfully in the final minute. The Bears outscored Trinity 20-15 in the final quarter, sealing their victory at home.

Smith Top Performers  
Uta Nakamura (Manhattan, NY/Long Island Lutheran)  
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- 17 points  
- 4 rebounds  
- 3 assists  

Felicia Fongemie (Ashford, CT/Marianapolis Prep)  
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- 19 points  
- 3 rebounds  

Virginia Johnson (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest)  
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- 10 points  
- 9 rebounds  
- 3 steals  

Bre'Aria Cannon (Christiana, TN/Link Academy)  
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- 6 points  
- 9 rebounds  
- 4 steals

Up Next 
Smith hosts Williams on Wednesday, December 3 at 7:00pm.

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 onto GoSmithBears.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram