CHESTNUT HILL, MA - Freshman Jessica Ramsey (Milford, MA/Hopedale) buried six three-pointers while netting 23 points, and sophomore Keneisha Milton (Boston, MA/Wayland) tied her own school record with 18 rebounds to send the Wheelock College women's basketball team past Pine Manor College, 64-53, on Wednesday as the host school on the Gators' Brunelli Court. The Wildcats improved to 3-6, while Pine Manor slipped to 3-7.
Ramsey, who had previously played 18 minutes all season while battling back from injury, shot 6-of-12 from deep and 5-of-6 on free-throw tries while adding seven rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. Milton's rebound total contributed to her fourth double-double in five games, and fifth of the season, and she also notched 13 points to go along with four assists and four steals. Wheelock held a 52-23 rebounding advantage, including 21-5 on the offensive end, which led to a 23-5 lead in second-chance points during the Wildcats' first home game since Dec. 7.
Junior Kayla Drescher (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) added 10 points and seven boards, classmate Maya Spratling (Dorchester, MA/Cathedral) had eight points, 10 boards, five steals and two blocks, and senior Joy Holliday (Milford, MA/Milford) notched eight points and five assists.
Junior Therline Dumeran (Cambridge, MA/Cambridge Rindge & Latin School) neared a triple-double for the Gators, finishing with 24 points behind 8-of-11 shooting at the charity stripe, 12 steals, eight rebounds and four blocks. Dumeran shot 7-of-15, while the remainder of the squad went 7-of-28. Junior Phibe Pham (Boston, MA/Snowden International School) added eight points, and sophomore Tia Nelson (Rockport, MA/Rockport) notched seven boards. Pine Manor knocked down 23-of-35 freebie attempts in its first game since Dec. 12, and the Gators' first in their own gym since Dec. 4.
Pine Manor scored the game's first four points before Milton played a role in each point while helping Wheelock build a 10-6 advantage by 14:11 of the opening half, scoring her team's first eight points before dishing off on a Drescher jumper. The Wildcats twice pushed their lead out to nine before a pair of Pham free throws made it 17-10 at 6:31, but the hosts doubled their offensive output during an ensuing 4:39 stretch, responding with a 17-8 run to grab a 34-18 advantage by 1:35. Holliday scored all eight of her points during the run. Wheelock took a 34-21 lead into the locker room.
The Wildcats led by at least 10 points for the first 7:07 of the second half before the Gators trimmed their deficit to single figures, as a Ramsey three that gave Wheelock a 15-point edge at 15:32 was met by an 8-0 Pine Manor run. Dumeran scored seven of those points, drawing her squad within 43-36 by 11:57. Ramsey and Dumeran traded threes before a Gator free throw made the score 46-40 with 10:16 remaining, but the hosts scored the next six points, and Ramsey later drained two treys 43 seconds apart to put Wheelock back up 16. Pine Manor chipped to within 58-51 at 2:10 but came no closer.
The Wildcats host Newbury College on Saturday in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) contest at 5:30 p.m.