MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- Senior captain Morgan Kennedy scored a game-high 16 points, sophomore Sophie Spolter added a career-high 14 points, and the No. 25 nationally ranked Bates women's basketball team used a big third quarter to run away with a 71-56 victory over Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon in NESCAC action.

With the victory, the Bobcats (20-4, 8-2 NESCAC) secured the sixth 20-win season in program history, and the first since the 2004-05 team went 25-3. Their eight NESCAC wins are tied for the most in one season in team history. Seven of their eight conference wins this season were by double digits. 

Bates will be the No. 3 seed in the upcoming NESCAC tournament and the Bobcats are set to host No. 6 Hamilton (17-7, 5-5 NESCAC) next Saturday at 2pm in the quarterfinals. This marks the first time Bates women's basketball will host a NESCAC tournament game since the 2008-09 season, and it's their highest seed since the 2006-07 team also earned a No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. 

Bates led the Cardinals (11-11, 2-8 NESCAC) by just three points at halftime on Saturday, but the Bobcats outscored their hosts 20-8 in the third quarter, taking command of the game. They entered halftime with a 31-28 edge, thanks to a three-pointer from rookie Sarah Hughes (Rumson, N.J.) with time expiring in the second quarter.

Senior captain Davina Kabantu (Portland, Maine) got the offense going in the third quarter, drilling a three less than a minute in, putting Bates up by six at 34-28. Kabantu finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds.

With the score 36-30 in favor of the Bobcats, Bates went on a quick 6-0 run to double the lead. Kabantu, sophomore Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine), and Spolter all scored to put the Bobcats up 42-30 with 5:32 left in the third quarter.

The Cardinals got to within 10 before a Kennedy jumper and a three-pointer from sophomore Ava James (Bethesda, Md.) gave Bates a commanding 51-36 lead through three.

Wesleyan battled back to nine points down thanks to a Madi Gomez three-pointer with 8:16 remaining in regulation. But Kennedy had the answer for Bates, drilling a three on the other end, and the Bobcats led by double digits the rest of the way.

Spolter's career-high 14 points on 6-8 shooting were accompanied by six assists. Daulerio scored eight points, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, blocked three shots, and recorded two steals. Meanwhile, junior Alexandra Long (Newtown, Pa.) dished out a game-high eight assists and tallied six points on 3-6 shooting.

Felicia Fongemie and Alli Jones paced the Cardinals with 14 and 13 points respectively. 

The Bobcats held Wesleyan to 34.9% shooting, and the Bobcats shot 45.5% from the floor. Turnovers were fairly even at 12 for Bates and 15 for Wesleyan, but the Bobcats made the most of Wesleyan's miscues, scoring 16 points off turnovers to the Cardinals' two. 

Saturday's victory over Wesleyan is the Bates women's basketball team's fourth straight over the Cardinals.