WBB Tops Wheelock in Regular Season Finale

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's basketball team posted a 70-43 victory over Wheelock College on the final day of New England Collegiate Conference play on Saturday afternoon at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

Mitchell senior Kaylee Cerruto led all scorers with 17 points and added seven assists in the final home game of her career. The Mariners (7-17 overall, 7-11 NECC) dominated the paint, holding a 28-12 advantage in points and a 62-41 edge in rebounds.

Keneisha Milton led Wheelock (2-23 overall, 2-16 NECC) with 14 points but played only 24 minutes due to foul trouble. The Wildcats shot just 23 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 15 times.

A pair of three-pointers by Randi Davis put Wheelock up by one in the early stages of the contest, but Mitchell responded with a 13-1 run and never trailed again. Cerruto had five points during the run while junior Kate Mulloy contributed four, including a bucket with 11:30 to play in the half that put the Mariners ahead by double digits at 20-9.

After early foul trouble forced Milton to the bench, she re-entered the game with 11 minutes to play and immediately made a difference. She scored six straight points for the Wildcats and helped trim the deficit to 23-17 with 6:10 remaining.

Mitchell freshman Savannah Boyle came up big in the closing minutes of the half. She buried a pair of three-pointers to pump the lead back to double digits, and the Mariners took a 37-27 advantage into the locker room at the break.

Mitchell put the game away early in the second half, scoring the first nine points of the stanza to lead 46-27 following a jumper by Cerruto with 14:40 to go. Wheelock went more than seven minutes without scoring but finally ended the drought on a three by Jessica Ramsey that banked in with 12:41 remaining.

The Mariners never let the lead dip below double digits and took their largest lead of the game on Boyle's third trey in the closing moments. Boyle and classmate Amanda Garcia each finished with 13 points while Mulloy recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Garcia also grabbed eight boards while Boyle pulled down seven.

Both Cerruto and Suzie Barbosa were honored prior to the game in a special senior day ceremony. Barbosa finished the game with three points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Milton had eight rebounds to go along with her 14 points. Davis finished with nine points and 10 rebounds while Ramsey and Cathryn Fernandes each netted seven points.

Mitchell is one of seven teams that qualified for the 2013 NECC Championship. First round action is slated to begin on Tuesday, February 19. Seeding, match-ups and a complete schedule will be released by the conference this weekend.