NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College women's basketball team won an overtime thriller at Smith College on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Pioneers 83-74 in a hard-fought New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest.

Kiley Shoemaker exploded for a season-high 30 points to go with 14 rebounds and five blocks to complete the double-double. Rebecca Arnone also finished with a season-high 26 points and five steals, while Emily Cuthbertson and Ruthie Zientek each added seven points. 

Smith first-year Lauren Bondi tied her career-high with 23 points, led four Smith players in double-figures. Paige Marquez neared a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Erin Hanley and Tia Karapoulios each produced valuable minutes off the bench to finish with 14 and 13 points, respectively. 

Bondi opened the game with a three-pointer, only to be answered by Arnone, who went back-to-back from long distance as Wheaton took a 6-3 lead. Marquez answered right back with a 3-pointer of her own to tie the game (6-6). A trey from Shoemaker gave the Lyons their largest lead of the first quarter, 16-11 with 2:14 on the clock. The Pioneers ended the period on a 6-2 run to come within 18-17 heading into the second. 

The second period was a back and forth affair as neither team was unable to pull away with Smith and Wheaton heading into halftime tied 32-32. 

Karapoulios sparked energy into her team and the Smith crowd as she connected on back-to-back three-pointers, giving the Pioneers a 54-50 lead and drew a charge on the defensive end with 6:26 on the clock in the fourth quarter. The Lyons would claw back to tie the game, but Hanley drove through the defense and connected on a reverse layup, drawing a foul as she completed the three-point play to put her team ahead 62-61 with 1:06 remaining. A free throw by Bondi gave the Pioneers a 63-61 lead but Arnone's layup tied the game at 63-63. Smith had the ball with 10 seconds remaining and a chance to win the game but Bondi's shot from behind the arc fell short. 

In overtime, Wheaton quickly went up 67-63 on jumpers by Shoemaker and Arnone but Smith tied the score at 67 as Bondi connected on both free-throws and Hanley nailed a basket. After Zientek's bucket put the Lyons up 71-69 at the 1:23 mark, the visitors did not look back as they were a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line to close out the contest.

Wheaton welcomes Babson for a NEWMAC contest on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in Emerson Gymnasium.

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