DUDLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Mekaela Fithian-Giantonio (Plainville, Conn.) scored 15 points in Nichols College's 71-55 loss to Western New England University Tuesday evening in Commonwealth Coast Conference women's basketball action at the Nichols Athletic Center.
 
Senior Taylor Daniels (Dudley, Mass.) posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and also recorded three assists and two steals. Senior Brittany Donovan (Newport, R.I.) threw up six points and eight rebounds for the Bison, who were outrebounded 45-37 and shot 32 percent on the evening.
 
Senior Emily Anderson (Rocky Hill, Conn.) led the Golden Bears with 18 points. Classmate Paige Young (Berlin, Conn.) collected 12 points and 11 rebounds while junior Dorothy O'Neill (Staten Island, N.Y.) filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Western New England made 41 percent of its shots and made 10 three-pointers.
 
Donovan was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in the first quarter, which helped the Bison take an early four-point lead. O'Neill scored five points in the final 4:39 of the half to bring the Golden Bears to within one (18-17) after one. Fithian-Giantonio canned a pair of triples and led the Bison with eight points.
 
The Golden Bears outscored the Bison 19-9 in the second to take a nine-point halftime lead at 36-27. Nichols held a one-point lead following a basket from Daniels with 4:13 remaining before Western New England closed the half on a 13-3 run, sparked by five points from Anderson and four from senior Sammie Battaini (Leominster, Mass.).
 
Fithian-Giantonio led all student-athletes with 11 first-half points while Battaini netted seven to pace the visitors. Nichols knocked down 34 percent of its first half field goal attempts (9-of-26) and committed nine turnovers. The Golden Bears, meanwhile, sank 39 percent of their shots (12-of-31) and turned those nine turnovers into 10 points. They also committed just two turnovers of their own.
 
The Golden Bears began to pull away in the third, opening up an 18-point lead on a three by O'Neill with 6:42 on the clock. Five minutes later, sophomore Meghan Gilhool (Montrose, Pa.) drained a layup to make it 57-38. In the fourth, Nichols used an 11-3 run to climb to within 12 points at 65-53, the final three points coming on a three from Daniels, but baskets from Battaini and Anderson sealed the win.
 
All-Time Series
Tonight's contest marked the 46th all-time meeting between Nichols College and Western New England. The Golden Bears have now won six straight and lead the series, 28-18.
 
Next Games
Nichols (2-17, 2-11 CCC) – Saturday, February 4 @ Curry, 1:00 p.m.
Western New England (14-5, 10-3 CCC) – Thursday, February 2 vs Eastern Conn. St., 7:00 p.m.