DORCHESTER, Mass. — For the second straight game, the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's basketball team held its host to under 50 points and overcame a third-quarter deficit by out-scoring the home team by double-digits to come away with a 49-45 victory over University of Massachusetts Boston today at the Clark Athletic Center in the Dorchester section of Boston, Mass. 

The Lyons improve to 6-6 on the season and win their third straight road contest for the first time since they defeated Clark University, Smith College and Wellesley College away from home during a stretch from January 27 to February 6, 2016. 

The Beacons fall to 3-7 on the year in the last game of 2023 for both teams.

Neither team shot well in the match-up and both teams struggled mightily from three-point range. Wheaton owned a 29.3% (17-58) field goal percentage, including 3-17 (17.6%) from long range. UMass Boston wasn't much better from the field, hitting on 35.8% (19-53) of its shots and connected on just two of 13 attempts from beyond the three-point arc for a paltry 15.4% rate. The Lyons spelled the winning margin at the free throw line, making 75% (12-16) of their tries, while the Beacons converted just five of 12 tries (41.7%) from the charity stripe.

Despite playing with foul trouble, sophomore forward Regan Keyter (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led Wheaton with 12 points on 4-8 shooting and a perfect 4-4 from the line in just 15 minutes to go with four rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Junior guard Abby Fernandes (Assonet, Mass.) dropped in 11 points and added three rebounds and a pair of steals, while sophomore guard Kiki Walters (Fleetwood, Pa.) chipped in with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists and was one of nine players for the visitors with three or more rebounds. 

Senior forward Alexah Potter (Manchester, Conn.) led all scorers with 18 points for UMass Boston and was 8-16 from the field to go with eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Junior forward Sunny Green (Brewster, Mass.) contributed with seven points, three assists, a rebound, a pair of steals and a block, while sophomore guard Sibayla Jensen (Portland, Ore.) pulled down a game-high nine boards and added two points, two steals and an assist. 

The Beacons led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, but the game was decided in a fourth quarter, where the Lyons tallied just seven fewer points (21) than in the previous three quarters combined. Wheaton's defense locked up UMass Boston, holding the squad from Dorchester Bay to just 26.7% (4-15) from the floor, while the Wheaton offense was very efficient from the field, knocking down 57.1% (8-14) of its shots.

The Beacons scored four straight points, including a jumper from graduate student forward Keriann Farina (Arlington, Mass.) to give them a 45-43 lead with 1:06 left in the game. The Lyons made the most of the final 66 seconds on the clock, holding UMass Boston without a point, while Keyter made four free throws during the final stretch that included a crucial steal, which led to the last two points of the game from Keyter at the line. Keyter's free throws gave Wheaton the final six points and a 49-45 lead with four ticks left on the clock.

The Lyons scored the first four points of the opening quarter to take a 4-0 lead at the 8:31 mark, before the Beacons countered with five unanswered points, including a trifecta from graduate student guard Paige Olliverre (Newton, Mass.) to give UMass Boston a 5-4 edge with 7:02 remaining in the first period. Walters came right back with a three-ball to reclaim the lead for Wheaton at 4:25, but the Beacons scored eight of the final 10 points to close out the quarter and take a 13-9 lead into the second quarter.

Walters canned another three-pointer to put the Lyons in front, 14-13, with 6:23 to go in the second quarter. UMass Boston's defense tightened up, while the Beacons put together an 8-3 stretch, including a layup from junior forward Skyeler Sandison (Harwich, Mass.), to give them a 21-17 margin at the intermission.

Sophomore forward Nasha Arnold (North Reading, Mass.) sank a pair of free throws to pull Wheaton to within 22-19 with 7:48 to play in the period and senior forward Maddie Mueller (Carver, Mass.) hit a jump shot at 5:40 to keep the Lyons within 27-23 with 5:40 showing on the third quarter clock. First year guard Sophie Bradbury (East Bridgewater, Mass.) drilled a three-pointer to cap a 9-3 burst and give UMass Boston its biggest lead of the day at 36-26 with 2:28 left in the third quarter. Wheaton junior forward Mireille Tona (Portland, Maine) swished a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 36-28 before the start of the final quarter of play. 

Green made a layup at the 6:31 mark of the fourth quarter to give the Beacons a 39-32 advantage, before Fernandes netted six points during an 11-2 stretch for the Lyons punctuated by a triple from sophomore guard Kennis Jasperson (Sacramento, Calif.) to give Wheaton a 43-41 lead with 2:43 remaining in the contest.

The Lyons return to the court on Thursday, January 4 when they host Plymouth State University at Emerson Gymnasium for a 5:00 p.m. tip-off, while UMass Boston hosts University of Southern Maine on January 3 at 5:00 p.m.