Worcester, MA --- Freshman Ama Biney (Worcester, MA) posted a team-best 17 points and registered a game-saving steal while senior Dani Davis (East Granby, CT) netted 12 points to reach the 1,000 career point milestone as host WPI defeated Emerson 62-57 in a NEWMAC women's basketball contest played Wednesday evening. 

With the victory, the Engineers secure a spot in the NEWMAC Tournament later this month and improve to 15-7 overall and 8-5 in conference action.  Emerson evens its record at 11-11 on the season and slips to 5-8 in NEWMAC action. 

WPI led 58-50 with just under two minutes remaining but Emerson would not go away quietly, scoring seven of the next nine points to slice the deficit to 60-57 with 19 seconds to go.  After a rebound of a missed free throw and a timeout, the Lions set up a play to try and tie the game but Biney's steal and breakaway layup in the waning seconds ensured a win for the hosts. 

The Crimson and Gray clung to a one point advantage at 47-46 following an Elizabeth Horan (Ashland, MA) layup with 6:56 remaining but WPI quickly countered with a Davis trifecta to spearhead a 9-2 spurt to put the hosts up eight with just over three minutes left.   

Davis become the 17th player in WPI women's basketball history to reach the 1,000 point milestone with a jumper at the  2:32 mark before intermission.  Emerson outscored the Boynton Hillers 5-4 the rest of the half to take a 29-27 lead into the locker room at the break.  

Amaia Gritsko (Milford, CT) joined Biney and Davis in double digits in scoring with 10 points.  The senior also gobbled up a team-high six rebounds with Biney, Davis, Haili Welton (Southbury, CT) and Tess Nogueira (Merrimac, MA) all collecting five rebounds and Sarah Rogers (Colchester, CT) corralling four.  Point guard Rachel Pineda (Shrewsbury, MA) finished with six points and led all players with six assists. 

Emerson rookie Eastin Ashby (Pittston, PA) put on a shooting display for the Lions.  Ashby came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 22 points.  Kristin Brice (Indiana, PA) notched a double-double for the guests, tallying 12 points and 10 rebounds while Sierra Ducey (Poway, CA) corralled eight rebounds and joined Maya Savino (Killingworth, CT) with four assists. 

WPI concludes a three-game stretch of home games Saturday at 2pm against Wheaton.  Emerson is also at home on Saturday, squaring off with Coast Guard at 1pm.

A photo posted by WPI Athletics (@wpiathletics) on Feb 11, 2015 at 7:05pm PST

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