Women's Basketball Falls at NEC

HENNIKER, N.H. – Yasmine Santos (Pawtucket, R.I.) and Jamya Beddoe (New London, Conn.) had 21 points each to lead the Mitchell College women's basketball team, but it was not enough as New England College beat Mitchell 70-51 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game at Bridges Gymnasium.

Santos had 21 points and 10 rebounds, her 16th double-double of the season.

Beddoe, who scored a career-high 22 points against Anna Maria on Tuesday, has scored 59 points in the last three games. She also knocked down a career-high five 3-pointers (5-13) in the loss.

Kathleen Rodriguez was a perfect 16 for 16 from the field and finished with game-highs of 32 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Pilgrims.

New England College improves to 11-10 overall and 6-4 in the GNAC while Mitchell drops to 3-15 overall and 1-9 in conference play.

Mitchell was 19 of 51 from the field (37.3 percent) while connecting on six of 18 from behind the arch while NEC shot 46.9 percent (30 of 64) from the floor while making five of 20 from 3-point range.

The Pilgrims outrebounded Mitchell 42-27 with 17 offensive rebounds in the win. 

The first half saw 10 lead changes with Pilgrims scoring the final four points of the first quarter to lead 13-11 after one.

Beddoe hit a 3-pointer to give the Mariners a 24-21 lead with 3:13 left in the first half before New England College scored the final seven points of the half to lead 28-24 at the break.

Santos and Beddoe each had 12 first half points, the only two Mariners to score in the opening half.

Rodriguez had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead NEC in the first half.

Rodriguez made a pair of buckets to start the second half and cap an 11-0 run, which started in the first half, for NEC as they took a 32-24 lead with 8:40 left in the third quarter.

NEC led 44-33 with 3:26 left in third before the Mariners scored eight straight cutting the deficit to 44-41 following a 3-pointer by Beddoe with 1:15 left in the quarter. NEC led 46-41 after three quarters.

Sierra Gamble hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cap an 8-0 NEC run to start the fourth as they took a 54-41 lead with 8:46 left to put the game away.

Both teams are back in action on Wednesday when Mitchell hosts Dean in a GNAC game at 5:00. NEC will host Norwich in a conference game at 5:00.