Shoemaker drops a double-double in the win

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Junior forward Kiley Shoemaker (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) registered her sixth double-double of the season to lead the Wheaton College women's basketball team past Mount Holyoke College, 57-43, on Saturday afternoon inside Howard Gymnasium.

Shoemaker tallied 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go with 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal. Senior forward Abbie Brickley (Sandy, Utah/Skyline) finished with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while classmates Kenzie Kuhn (Glenwood Springs, Colo./Glenwood Springs) and Laura Pierce (Hampstead, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) and junior Rebecca Arnone (Litchfield, N.H./Campbell) all scored six points apiece.

Arnone added six rebounds, three assists and three steals to her stat line, while Kuhn hauled in five boards and Pierce compiled four rebounds and three assists.

Mount Holyoke senior forward Amber Legare (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee Comprehensive) paced the hosts with 17 points, 14 rebounds, two swipes and a block. Junior guard Genelle Green (Windsor, Conn./Miss Porter's School) had 13 points and seven rebounds and senior guard Kate Karraker (Morgantown, W.V./Taft School) notched eight points.

Wheaton held a 49-37 differential in rebounds, shot 39.3-percent (24-for-61) from the field and recorded 15 assists on 24 made baskets. The Blue and White also manufactured an 18-9 margin in points off turnovers and controlled the paint outscoring Mount Holyoke, 26-14, near the rim.

Both teams traded baskets throughout the first five minutes of the matchup before Wheaton went on an 11-2 run to break open its slim 12-10 advantage into a double-digit lead. Shoemaker fueled the spurt with four points, first-year forward Oppie Morris (Ware, Mass./Northfield Mount Hermon) swished two free throws, Pierce buried a three-pointer and Brickley converted a layup at the 6:14 mark to account for the run and the 23-12 gap on the scoreboard.

After giving up a jumper to Green at the 10:21 mark, Wheaton held Mount Holyoke scoreless for the rest of the opening stanza and went into the break with a 29-12 advantage. Brickley wrapped up the first 20 minutes of play with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting to guide the visitors offensively.

In the second half, Mount Holyoke made two runs to bring the game back within single-digits at 14:59 (33-24) and 11:41 (38-30), but Wheaton responded to the hosts' second scoring spurt with 14 unanswered points to put the clamps on the victory.

Shoemaker deposited six points into the run, while Arnone and Kuhn both contributed a three-pointer and Brickley put home a layup to give the Blue and White its largest lead of the contest at 52-30 (22 points) with 5:50 left to play.

Wheaton (15-6, 10-2 NEWMAC) visits Coast Guard on Wednesday, February 11 for a NEWMAC matchup at 7 p.m. The Blue and White, who defeated Mount Holyoke earlier this season by a 91-48 score at home, will look to avenge a 72-65 loss from January 31 versus the Bears next Wednesday to even the regular season series. Mount Holyoke (6-15, 3-9 NEWMAC) travels to MIT for a league matchup next Wednesday at 7 p.m.

For the latest on Wheaton College Athletics, follow the Lyons via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.