DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior captain Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) recorded 25 points and 12 rebounds in Nichols College's 61-57 loss to Curry College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action Tuesday night at the Nichols Athletic Center.

Senior Sarah Whitestone (Dalton, Mass.) added 13 points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals for the Bison (4-6, 1-3 CCC), who outrebounded the Colonels 60-43. Freshman Nicole Rice (Woburn, Mass.) led three Curry student-athletes in double figures with 13 points while registering 10 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.

The Bison outrebounded the Colonels 33-19 in the first half but found themselves trailing by three (30-27) at the break. Nichols held a three-point lead at four different points during the opening 10 minutes of the half before Curry ripped off an 11-1 run to move in front by seven (25-18), the final two points coming on a jumper from senior Samantha Corcoran (Hampton, N.H.).

Baskets from Whitestone, junior Jessica Kelliher (Marshfield, Mass.), freshman Brooke Packard (Dudley, Mass.), and Litwinko helped Nichols closed the gap to three heading to the locker room. Corcoran led all scorers with eight while Whitestone paced the Bison with seven.

Nichols opened the second half on a 13-6 run behind eight points from Litwinko to move in front 40-36. Curry regrouped and took a four-point led on three different occasions, only to see the Bison claw their way back and even the score each time.

Tied at 56 late in the half, junior Kerry White (Windham, N.H.) scored a fast-break layup to put the Colonels ahead with 1:15 on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Litwinko was fouled and sent to the line for two, and after sinking the first one to make it 58-57, she could not rattle home the second shot. The Bison had one more chance to tie or take the lead with 17 seconds left down 59-57, but turned the ball over.

Curry forced 23 turnovers which it turned into 25 points. The Colonels shot 35 percent from the field (21-of-60) and saw both Corcoran and sophomore Alyssa Keeney score 11 points. Nichols shot 32 percent and missed all 10 three-point attempts.   

The Bison head to Springfield to face Western New England Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Curry hosts Gordon Thursday at 5:30 p.m.