NEW LONDON, Conn.—First-year Giovanna Pickering (Hull, Mass.) poured in 18 of her career-high 24 points in the second half and Babson College nearly erased a 26-point second-half deficit, falling to the Coast Guard Academy, 71-65, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon at Merriman Gym.

Coast Guard, which has won six of its last seven games, is 13-2 overall and 9-2 in league play, while Babson had its five-game winning streak snapped, dropping to 7-8 overall and 7-4 in the NEWMAC.

Pickering was 9-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free throw line for the Beavers, who shot 56 percent (14-for-25) in the second half. Sophomore Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J.) and first-year Taylor Russell (Braintree, Mass.), who made her collegiate debut, each contributed nine points and a team-high six rebounds.

Junior Brittney Zimmerman (Lewistown, Pa.) led four players in double figures with 16 points and a game-high five assists for the Bears. Senior Kaitlin Ward (Saline, Mich.) and sophomore Tori Sutherland (Houston, Texas) each had 13 points, while classmate Megan Fornaro (Charlton, Mass.) had 10 points to go along with four assists.

Coast Guard opened with a 20-4 run over the game's first 6:48, and led by as many as 25 late in the first half. The Bears shot 51.7 percent (15-for-29) before the break, knocked down five three-pointers and scored 18 points off 13 Babson turnovers to go into the locker room with a 43-22 lead.

After giving up the first five points of the second half to fall behind 48-22 the Beavers used a 19-6 spurt to get back within 54-41 at the 7:31 mark of the period. Pickering netted five points during the run while Graber and sophomore Megan Otto (Scituate, Mass.) combined for eight points, six of which came at the free throw line.

Down 11 with 5:27 left Pickering scored 10 straight points for Babson, which got within 63-57 with 1:04 remaining in the game. Sophomore Kristen Ferola (Amhest, Mass.) buried a three-pointer from the top of the key following a Bears turnover to cut the deficit to three, and following two Coast Guard free throws Pickering drilled a triple to make it 65-63 with 23 seconds left.

Unfortunately it was as close as the Beavers would get as Zimmerman and junior Alexi Howland (Latham, N.Y.) combined to his six straight free throws to seal the victory.

The Green and White shot 44 percent (22-for-50) on the day while Coast Guard finished the game at 41.5 percent (22-for-53). The Beavers held a 32-24 edge on points in the paint and outscored the Bears 27-22 off turnovers.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. as Babson travels to Smith and Coast Guard will be at Wellesley.

GAME NOTES: Babson leads the all-time series against Coast Guard 28-9 but has dropped both meetings this season against the Bears…The Beavers are now 5-2 on the year when scoring 65 points or more, and are 1-5 when giving up 60 points or more in a game.