LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates women's basketball team hit a program-record 16 three-pointers and sophomore Meredith Melendy came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points in the Bobcats' 95-43 victory over the University of Maine-Farmington Thursday night at Alumni Gymnasium.
The Bobcats (7-7) broke their previous record of 15 threes made in one game, also set against the Beavers (4-12) back in 2014. Bates hit 16-31 from three-point range on Thursday, with Melendy (Grantham, N.H.) hitting a game-high five threes on eight attempts. 17 of Melendy's 18 points came in the fourth quarter. Melendy's previous career-high was three points before Thursday's scoring outburst.
The 52-point margin of victory is the largest for the Bobcats against a Division III opponent since Bates defeated Thomas College by 65 points in 2011.
First-year Mia Roy (Bedford, N.H.) scored 15 points on 6-9 shooting and sophomore Julia Middlebrook (Ridgefield, Conn.) scored 15 points as well. Junior Melanie Binkhorst (West Hartford, Conn.) notched her first career double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down a career-high 12 rebounds.
Up 14-13 on the Beavers with 2:48 left in the first quarter, the Bobcats scored 11 unanswered points to close the quarter with a 25-13 lead. Roy hit a pair of threes during the run and Middlebrook finished it off with an old fashioned three-point play.
The Beavers scored the first points of the second quarter but Bates answered with an 11-2 run to go up 36-17 with 3:39 remaining in the half.
First-year Amaari Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore Skye Conley (New Gloucester, Maine) combined to score eight of the Bobcats' 17 points in the second quarter. Bates took a 42-23 lead into halftime.
Middlebrook scored 10 of her 15 points in the third quarter and tallied seven of her 15 to help Bates open up a 68-35 lead.
With the Bobcats in control, Bates went to its bench down the stretch. This allowed Melendy to deliver a fourth quarter to remember. The Bobcats outscored the Beavers 27-8 in the fourth quarter, keyed by Melendy's hot shooting.
With 4:53 remaining in the contest, Melendy hit the Bobcats' record-tying 15th three of the night and her fourth of the quarter. Then with 3:35 left in the game, Melendy hit the record-breaking 16th three-pointer. She was fouled in the process and made the free throw for a four-point play to put Bates up 92-36.
McKenna Brodeur paced the Beavers on Thursday with 11 points on 5-10 shooting. Morgan Crocker added 10 points and Paige Carter scored six points and grabbed six rebounds.
With the victory, Bates matches its win total from last season. The Bobcats are back in action Saturday when they visit Tufts for a 3pm tip.