DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College women's basketball team ended the 2017-18 season on a positive note as the Bison defeated the Wentworth Institute of Technology, 79-48, on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action in Dudley, Mass.
 
The Bison wrap up the year at 4-21 overall and 2-16 in the CCC, while Wentworth drops to 2-23 and 1-17 in league games.
 
Before the game, Nichols honored the two members of its senior class in Brooke Packard and Allison Cerrato, and the duo played a major role in snapping the Bison's 15 game losing skid.
 
Packard recorded a double-double with a career-high 28 points and 12 rebounds to go with three steals to lead the Bison. Cerrato just missed a double-double of her own with 17 points and nine rebounds, while freshman Shannon St. Lawrence had a career night with 18 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Classmate Beth Laing rounded out the leading scorers with 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
 
Wentworth was paced by sophomore Maya Spence, who registered 11 points and nine rebounds in the setback. Freshman Erin Morton added 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists, while senior Haley Sabino had nine points and eight rebounds.
 
The Bison shot 39.1% (25-of-64) from the field, 35.5% (11-of-31) from beyond the arc, and 78.3% (18-of-23) from the free throw line in the win. Wentworth struggled from the floor, only connecting on 19.7% (14-of-71) of its shots, including 22.7% (5-of-22) of its threes, and 57.7% (15-of-26) of its free throws. The Bison held a 54-50 advantage in rebounds, but committed 14 turnovers to just 12 for the visitors.
 
Nichols controlled the action right from the start as a three-pointer from St. Lawrence staked the Bison to an 11-0 lead in the opening quarter. The Bison would eventually take a 20-4 advantage into the second period as Nichols connected on 5-of-11 three-pointers in the frame while holding Wentworth to 6.7% (1-of-15) shooting in the first 10 minutes of action.
 
A three-pointer from Wentworth freshman Stephanie Mini trimmed the Nichols lead to 25-10 with 6:22 to play in the quarter, but an 11-2 run by Nichols capped by two Cerrato free throws pushed the lead back to 36-12. The Bison held a 39-19 lead at the break behind 13 first half points from Packard as well as nine points and 10 rebounds from St. Lawrence.
 
Wentworth continued to hang around, and a layup from Morton pulled the Leopards back to 44-27 midway through the third period. St. Lawrence answered with back-to-back threes, and the Bison ended the frame on a 14-4 run to take a 51-31 lead into the final quarter.
 
The Bison shot 50% (7-of-14) from the field in the game's final quarter as the Nichols grew to as many as 31 in the victory.
 
All-Time Series
Nichols and Wentworth have met 32 times in the series, and the Bison hold a 17-15 advantage in the matchup. The Bison avenged a 72-71 setback to the Leopards back on January 13.