Defense Propels WBB Over Bay Path
NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Mitchell College women's basketball team
used stellar team defense to force 32 turnovers in a 61-39 victory
over Bay Path College on Tuesday night at the Yarnall Athletic
Center.
Sophomore Destiney Harris led
the Mariners (8-10 overall, 8-4 NECC) with 19 points and fell two
rebounds shy of a triple-double with eight boards and a career-high
11 steals. Junior Alix O'Neil also
finished in double figures with 14 points and added six boards.
Jessica Hunt led Bay Path (4-15 overall, 1-10 NECC) with game highs
of 20 points and 17 rebounds despite playing the entire second half
with four fouls.
Harris started the game with a flurry, scoring Mitchell's first 11
points to erase an early deficit. The Mariners never trailed after
taking their first lead at 9-8 on a jumper by Harris with 14:27 to
go in the half.
Later in the half, the Wildcats trailed by only three following a
layup by Hunt with 2:21 remaining. The Mariners, however, ended the
half with a 7-0 run to take their biggest lead, 33-23, into the
locker room at the break. Harris scored 15 points and recorded six
rebounds and six steals to pace Mitchell in the stanza while Hunt
and Katie Begin combined for 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Harris picked up five more steals in the second half before coming
out of the game with 12 minutes to play. She played only 24 minutes
and shot 8-of-14 from the floor. She has posted a double-double in
her last five games and has eight on the season.
The Mariners led by as many as 24 points in the second half and
coasted to the victory. Mitchell shot 37 percent from the floor and
held a 29-2 edge in points off turnovers. Junior Marjorie Oliveira
added a season-high eight points while senior Jen Iglesias
chipped in with eight points and two assists.
Bay Path shot 32 percent from the field and held a 46-42 advantage
on the glass. Begin finished with nine points and four
rebounds.
Mitchell will next play at Daniel Webster College on Thursday,
February 11 at 7 p.m.
