BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Marissa Cicchetti (Mansfield, Mass.) and junior Giovanna Pickering (Hull, Mass.) each scored 11 points to lead three players in double figures as Babson College cruised to an 81-43 victory over visiting Clark University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at Staake Gymnasium.
With its second consecutive win, Babson is now 10-5 overall and 6-1 in conference play, while Clark slips to 3-13 and 1-7 in the NEWMAC.
Pickering added a game-high six assists and three steals for the Beavers, while junior Taylor Russell (Braintree, Mass.) finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J.) scored nine points and pulled down six boards, seniorMegan Otto (Scituate, Mass.) registered eight points and six rebounds and classmate Jess Coelho (Westport, Conn.) chipped in with eight points, four caroms and two steals.
First-year Ogechi Ezemma (Hope Valley, R.I.) finished with 10 points to lead the Cougars.
The Green and White made six of its first eight shots and raced out to a 15-7 lead less than five minutes into the contest. Cicchetti hit one of her three first-half three-pointers to make it 18-9 at the 2:43 mark of the opening quarter and back-to-back hoops by Russell and Pickering helped the Beavers build a 21-11 lead after one.
Pickering and Russell scored on consecutive possessions to open the second period and Otto followed with four points as part of a 10-1 spurt that made it 32-12 at the 6:15 mark. SophomoreHannah Metcalf (Middlebury, Conn.) gave Babson its biggest lead of the half at 38-15 with just over two minutes to go in the quarter, and Russell then converted an old-fashioned three-point play as the Beavers took a 43-21 lead into the break.
Sophomore Sam O'Gara (Worcester, Mass.) opened the third quarter with a steal and a layup for Clark, but the Green and White followed with a 18-0 run while holding the Cougars scoreless for more than seven and a half minutes to take a 61-23 lead on a layup by Russell with 2:13 to go in the stanza. Babson outscored the visitors 18-14 in the fourth quarter and led by as many as 40 in the closing minutes.
The Beavers shot 41.8 percent (33-of-79) on the afternoon and finished with a 44-22 edge in paint scoring and a 57-35 advantage on the glass. The Green and White also scored 24 points off of 29 Cougars' turnovers.
Both teams return to action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. as Babson visits Emerson, while Clark hosts Springfield to open a three-game homestand.
GAME NOTES
• Babson is now 23-22 all-time against Clark and has won 12 of the last 13 meetings.
• Cicchetti's is now 10-of-16 from beyond the arc in her last three games against Clark.
• The Beavers are 8-2 this season and 24-7 over the last two years when forcing 18 or more turnovers.
• Babson improved to 4-0 at home on the year and 20-4 in its last 24 games at Staake Gymnasium.