NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Mitchell College women's basketball team celebrated senior day in style, using a dominating second quarter to pull away from Eastern Nazarene College 96-61 in New England Collegiate Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Yarnall Athletic Center. The win was the seventh in a row for the Mariners, who closed the regular season with a 16-9 overall record and finished undefeated in conference play for the first time in the program's Division III era.
Amina Wiley (New Rochelle, N.Y.) and Yasmine Santos (Pawtucket. R.I.) each registered double-doubles, as Wiley finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds, both game high-figures, while Santos scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Senior Sam McKenna (Millbrook, N.Y.) poured in 21 points, including five baskets from long range, and Dede Stevenson (Hartford, Conn.) filled the stat sheet to the tune of 17 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Jermia Dumas (Stratford, Conn.) rounded out the double-figure scoring for Mitchell, coming off the bench to contribute 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
The opening quarter was back and forth, as both teams traded baskets and traded leads. Dede Stevenson closed the quarter by making three free throws, giving Mitchell the narrow 26-25 lead heading into the second stanza. It was all Mariners in the second quarter, however, as the home broke the game wide open by holding Eastern Nazarene to just 2-15 shooting. As the Mitchell defense suffocated the Lions, the Mariners offense continued their hot play, as the team shot 10-18 in the quarter, led by 10 points from Santos on a perfect 4-4 shooting line.
Mitchell carried a 17-point advantage into halftime and continued to build upon it once the action resumed, eventually pushing their lead to over 40 points in the waning moments of the game. The Mariners held the Lions to under 40% shooting, while they shot 50% from floor, 45.8% from three, and 84.6% from the line. Mitchell also outrebounded Eastern Nazarene 42-26, forced 29 turnovers, and used pace to their advantage, scoring 34 fast break points.
Delaney Walker paced the Lions with a team high 14 points. Te'yalla Simpson came off the bench to score 12 points in the loss, while Alondra Jimenez and Ashley Quigley had 11 apiece.
The Mariners (16-9 overall, 6-0 NECC) will host a New England Collegiate Conference semifinal game on Wednesday, February 22nd, at 6:00 pm. Eastern Nazarene (9-14 overall, 3-2 NECC) wrap up their regular season with a visit to Lesley University on Monday, February 20th, at 6:00 pm.