NORTHAMPTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's basketball team scored the final 18 points of the first half to spark a 30-4 run, blowing open a one-point game during the Lyons' 65-41 victory at New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Smith College on Saturday in Ainsworth Gym. The win, Wheaton's first in Northampton since February 1, 2003, pushed the Blue and White to 9-6 overall and 3-1 in the league. The Pioneers fell to 7-7 and 1-3.

Senior Bri Smith's (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) three-pointer put the Lyons on top, 5-4 just 2:16 into the contest, but the hosts responded with an 8-2 run to grab their largest lead of the contest, 12-7 by the 13:43 mark of the opening half. However, junior Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) dished off to senior Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) for the go-ahead hoop at 10:15 and converted a three-point play to cap a 7-0 run that put Wheaton in front, 19-14 at 7:54.

After the Pioneers edged to within 23-22, the visitors took control by scoring the last 18 points of the opening period during a 5:07 span. Wheaton shot 7-of-13 from the floor and 4-of-4 at the charity stripe in the stretch. The Lyons went into halftime with a 41-22 advantage after hitting 50 percent of their shots and limiting the hosts to 29-percent shooting.

The hosts scored the first bucket of the second half, but Wheaton tallied 12 of the next 14 points to push its lead out to 53-26 at 14:20, with six points coming from junior Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford). Soon after the Lyons claimed their first 27-point advantage, a 14:19 stretch during which the Blue and White held the Pioneers to 2-of-15 shooting with 10 turnovers ended. Following Wheaton nabbing a 61-32 lead with 6:29 to go, the hosts scored nine points over the final 6:05 after scoring only 10 points in the prior 20:01.

Champney led the Lyons with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting in 24 minutes to go along with 10 rebounds and two blocks, as the program's career rejections leader pushed her total to 100. Hickey went 4-of-6 for nine points, landing on the 1,400-point mark, while junior reserve Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) was 4-of-6 for nine points in 15 minutes.

Bailey added eight points, seven assists and five rebounds, while Smith totaled eight points. Eight different Lyons scored, while Wheaton shot 44.6 percent from the field and 10-of-13 on free-throw tries. The Lyons outrebounded the Pioneers, 39-30.

Junior Berit Schelde (Holstebro, Denmark/Falkonergaardens) and sophomore Jessica Welk (Arlington, WA/Arlington) had nine points apiece for Smith, while senior Courtney Parker (Ocean City MD/Stephen Decatur) added eight rebounds. The hosts shot 32.1 percent, including 3-of-15 from beyond the arc, and went 4-of-8 at the charity stripe.

Wheaton completes a four-game road swing by traveling to Tufts University on Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. contest in a rematch of a 2008 NCAA Tournament first-round contest. The Jumbos are ranked 12th in the latest D3hoops.com national poll.