JOHNSON, Vt. – Senior captain Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) poured in a game-high 27 points as the Nichols College women's basketball team improved to 2-0 with a 74-61 win over Johnson State in non-conference action Saturday afternoon at Carter Gymnasium.

Senior Sarah Whitestone (Dalton, Mass.) added 16 points while both senior captain Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) and junior Jessica Kelliher (Marshfield, Mass.) each scored 12 points. Nichols is now 2-0 for the second-consecutive season under third-year head coach Alice Mullen.

Johnson State senior Kirsten Rand notched 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds while sophomore Sarah Voorhis had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Kasey DeGreenia contributed 10 points in the Badgers home opener.

The Badgers and Bison exchanged the lead eight times in the first half before six-straight points from Kelliher turned a 19-19 tie into a 265-19 Nichols lead. Six points from Whitestone down the stretch in the opening stanza gave the Bison a 34-23 halftime lead. The Bison shot 43 percent from the floor and held the Badgers to 31 percent.

Wegrzynek converted a layup four minutes into the second half to extend the Bison lead to 17 at 42-25. Sophomore Taylor Daniels (Dudley, Mass.) canned a jumper midway through the half that gave Nichols a 19-point lead at 55-36 before Johnson State ripped off a 17-4 run to close to within six with 3:03 to go. The Bison sank 13-of-18 from the charity stripe to close the game one.

The Badgers held a 49-35 edge on the glass but committed 17 turnovers which led to 13 points – their final margin of defeat. Wegrzynek also added 12 boards while both Litwinko and Wegrzynek each dished out four assists.

Nichols hosts WPI Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Badgers play at Middlebury Tuesday at 6 p.m.