DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College women's basketball team opened The Commonwealth Coast Conference play with a 67-53 win over Roger Williams University Saturday afternoon.
The Bison were led by a double-double from sophomore Michele Guerin (Chicopee, Mass.), who posted 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The win marked the ninth-straight for the Bison, who improve to 10-2 on the season and 1-0 in TCCC action. The Hawks drop to 2-10 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Nichols senior guard MaryLynn Skarzenski (Woodbridge, N.J.) and sophomore forward Jessica Nelson (No. Providence, R.I.) each chipped in with 10 points, with Nelson adding eight rebounds and Skarzenski picking up three steals and five boards.
Sophomore guard Kate Malenczak (Sayville, N.Y.) led Roger Williams with 11 points, while senior guard Jackie Criss (Westwood, Mass.) recorded nine rebounds to go with three points and four assists. Freshman guard Danielle Perrault (Ridgefield, Conn.) added eight points off the bench.
The teams traded the lead three times in the early going before the Bison claimed it for good with 11:45 left in the opening frame on a Guerin layup. Nichols then hit stride with a 24-10 run in the remainder of the half, led by Guerin's 14 first-half points.
The Bison led by as many as 23, but a late 11-2 run by the Hawks, highlighted by six points and a pair of steals from freshman forward Ryan Weekes (Worcester, Mass.), brought Roger Williams back within 14 at the end of the game.
Nichols held a 47-32 advantage off the glass, converting into 12 second-chance points to the Hawks' four, and shot 85% (17-20) at the line, including a 10-for-12 effort in the second half. Roger Williams netted 24 points from three-point range, shooting 57.1% (8-14) from beyond the arc in the game and 71.4% (5-7) in the opening frame.
Both teams continue TCCC action Tuesday; Nichols travels to Endicott for a 6 p.m. game while Roger Williams hosts WNEC at 6 p.m.
- Release courtesy of the Nichols College Sports Information Department
