NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's basketball team was firing on all cylinders Saturday afternoon in a 95-56 victory over Eastern Nazarene College at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
The Mariners (7-6 overall) logged season highs for total points, field goal percentage (.580), three-point field percentage (.462), rebounds (52) and assists (25). Mitchell never trailed at any point and led by as many as 47 in the fourth quarter.
Amina Wiley led all scorers with 21 points, one of four Mariners in double figures. She also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to record her sixth double-double of the season. Dede Stevenson turned in a strong performance with 15 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, two steals and two blocks, and Jermia Dumas and Sam McKenna each contributed 11 points off the bench.
Eastern Nazarene (8-5 overall), playing for the first time since December 9, shot just 30 percent and turned the ball over 24 times. Sophia Torres finished with 14 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. Tyra Davis netted 10 points off the bench while Mya Landry chipped in nine points and five boards.
The Mariners were locked in right from the tip, scoring on their opening possession and racing out to an early 11-0 lead. Wiley scored six points during the stretch, and McKenna capped the rally with a three-pointer just three minutes into the contest.
The Lions turned the ball over five times and missed their first four shots before finally getting on the scoreboard with 5:27 left in the period. Torres and Seniesha Sekaquaptewa then helped ENC close the gap, each scoring six points as the visitors cut the deficit to 19-14 heading into the second quarter.
Mitchell kept its foot on the gas in the second, outscoring ENC 31-19 to take a 50-33 lead into the break. Le'Sandra Turner netted all eight of her points in the stanza, which saw the Mariners shoot a blistering 14-for-19 from the floor.
Mitchell's offense kept rolling in the second half as the lead ballooned. McKenna contributed eight points in the third quarter while Dumas and Wiley had six. In the fourth, Stevenson drained a pair of threes, the last of which put the Mariners up 88-41 with 7:48 to go.
Saturday's game was the first of three regular season meetings between the Mariners and Lions. It does not count toward the New England Collegiate Conference standings.
Mitchell will next host Coast Guard Academy on Monday, January 17 at 1 p.m.