LEWISTON, Maine -- Junior Elsa Daulerio scored a game-high 21 points and the Bates women's basketball team turned a slim halftime lead into a convincing 70-45 win over Wheaton College Sunday evening at Alumni Gym. 

Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) finished just one point shy of matching her career-high while shooting 9-22 from the floor. She also grabbed nine rebounds, matched her career-high with five assists, and blocked a season-high four shots. 

The Bobcats (8-3) also got a big game from senior captain Alexandra Long (Newtown, Pa.), who finished with 14 points on 5-8 shooting to go along with five rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals. Meanwhile, junior Sophie Spolter (Blacklick, Ohio) nearly finished with a double-double, tallying eight points and a team-high 11 rebounds. Sophomore Sarah Hughes (Rumson, N.J.) chipped in 10 points as one of three Bobcats to finish in double figures scoring.

Bates led the Lyons (3-9) by a count of 27-26 at halftime. 

With the score tied at 28, Daulerio converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 8:58 left in the third quarter, putting the Bobcats ahead for good. The Bobcats built a nine-point lead at 39-30 with 5:18 to go in the third on a Daulerio layup. But Wheaton didn't back down, rallying to cut the lead to four on a pair of Kiki Walters free throws with 3:34 remaining in the quarter. 

Junior Ava James (Bethesda, Md.) had the answer though, drilling a three to put Bates back up by seven. Then Daulerio converted another three-point play and the Bobcats led 45-35. Bates led 47-35 through three quarters and outscored the visitors 23-10 in the fourth quarter to run away with the win.

Abby Fernandes paced the Lyons with 19 points on 7-28 shooting, but the Bobcats held her to just three points in the second half. Fernandes also grabbed 11 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Walters added 14 points on 3-8 shooting. 

The Bobcats shot 40% from the field and held Wheaton to 22.1% shooting from the floor.

Bates is back in action this Tuesday when they host Babson at 5 p.m.