BABSON PARK, Mass. – The seventh-seeded Wheaton College (Mass.) women's basketball team was defeated by host No. 12 nationally-ranked and second seeded Babson College, 79-41, this evening in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Tournament first round at Staake Gymnasium in Babson Park, Mass.

The Lyons finish their season at 13-13 for their highest win total since the 2015-16 campaign. The Beavers, who are ranked in the most recent D3hoops.com national coaches poll, win their third straight and six of their last seven to improve to 22-4. Babson advances to the NEWMAC semifinals, where it will host number three seed Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a 77-66 winner over sixth-seeded United States Coast Guard Academy, on Friday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m. 

The Beavers shot 55.0% (33-60) from the floor, including a gaudy 7-11 (63.6%) from three-point range, while holding Wheaton to just 27.5% (14-51) and to 4-18 (22.2%) from long range. Babson dominated the glass with a 43-26 rebounding advantage and outscored the visitors 34-10 in the paint.

Sophomore guard Abby Fernandes (Assonet, Mass.) led the Lyons with 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, while first year forward Nasha Arnold (North Reading, Mass.) chipped in with nine points on 3-6 shooting, three boards, an assist and a steal. First year forward Regan Keyter (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) netted nine points, grabbed a rebound, handed out an assist, came up with a steal and blocked a shot.

Four of the Beavers starters scored 11 or more points in the game. Junior guard Kelly Walsh (Goffstown, N.H.) led the way with 14 points on 5-8 from the floor to go with six rebounds, four steals and an assist, while senior forward Samantha Smith (Greenfield, Mass.) dropped in 13 points in 16 minutes and added three boards, a pair of assists and a steal. Sophomore guard Katelyn Mollica (Foxborough, Mass.) scored 12 points in addition to four assists, two rebounds and a steal and senior guard Megan Bauman (East Lyme, Conn.) contributed with 11 points, three assists and a steal.

Sophomore guard Greta Minos (Boston, Mass.) buried a three-pointer to give Wheaton a 4-3 edge with 7:45 left in the opening quarter, but it was the Lyons' last lead of the night. Babson ripped off 22 straight points, including six each from Mollica and Smith, to end the quarter with a 25-4 cushion.

The Beavers scored the first six points of the second period to take a 31-4 lead with 6:15 to go in the half, but Wheaton fought back. The Lyons put together a 14-6 stretch, fueled by seven points each from Arnold and Keyter, to pull within 37-18 with 3:04 showing on the second quarter clock. 

Babson scored eight of the next nine points to increase its lead to 45-19 with 1:57 to play in the second quarter. Wheaton scored four of the final six points to cut the margin to 47-23 at the intermission.

First year guard Madeline Duwe (Greenville, S.C.) drained a trifecta at the 5:49 mark of the third quarter to make it 51-26, but the Beavers went on a 12-4 run to close out the quarter and take a 63-30 advantage into the final period.

First year guard Kiki Walters (Fleetwood, Pa.) knocked down a jumper 94 seconds into the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 65-35, before Babson finished the contest with a 14-6 burst to secure the victory.