WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior forward Cheyenne Colbert (Brookline, N.H.) poured in a career-high 30 points to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's basketball team over Gallaudet University, 97-62, this afternoon in the consolation round of the Brandeis Invitational presented by the Park Lodge Hotel Group at Red Auerbach Arena on the campus of host Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Bison fall to 0-2.
Wheaton's point total was the most in a game for the Lyons since a 104-41 win at Mount Holyoke College on December 8, 2018. The Lyons also knocked down 12 three-pointers against GU for the ninth-most in school history and the most since Wheaton drained 13 from long distance against Clark University (Mass.) on January 26, 2019.
Wheaton shot 53.6% (37-69) for the game and held a 27-5 advantage in fast break points. The Lyons forced Gallaudet into 23 miscues and owned a 26-14 margin in points off turnovers. The Bison controlled the boards with a 43-33 advantage, including 18 on the offensive glass, but shot just 34.3% (23-67) for the game, including 3-14 (21.4%) from long range.
Colbert was 12-21 from the floor, including 6-10 from three-point range and registered the highest point total for a Wheaton player since Abby Fernandes '25 netted a school-record 37 points against Eastern Nazarene College on November 12, 2022. Her made three-point field goal tally is the most since Natalie Wind '20 hit six long balls against Thomas College (Maine) on November 15, 2017. Colbert added eight rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals to her day. First year guard Emma Toriello (North Berwick, Maine) scored 21 points on 8-14 from the field to go with six assists, three rebounds, two steals and just one turnover in 30 minutes of action. Her point total is the highest for a first year since Fernandes scored 24 points at Salem State University on February 28, 2022. Sophomore guard Sydney MacCalla (Middletown, N.Y.) contributed with a career-high 14 points on 5-8 shooting, including a trio of triples, in addition to two rebounds and a pair of steals.
Sophomore forward Natalie Greene (Houston, Texas) led the Bison with 24 points and was 8-11 from the line to go with an assist, a steal and 15 rebounds for her ninth career double-double and second in as many games this season. Junior forward Mackenzie Schirg (Factoryville, Pa.) netted 16 points and grabbed seven boards, while sophomore guard Tiana Starayev (Noblesville, Ind.) chipped in with 10 points, two assists and a rebound.
The Lyons trailed 18-16 following the first quarter, but opened the second period with nine straight points and didn't look back for the remainder of the game. MacCalla drilled back-to-back three-pointers to bolster Wheaton's run to begin the quarter and give it a 25-18 lead with 8:48 left in the second period. Greene converted a layup with 3:53 showing in the quarter to cut the deficit to 25-23, but MacCalla capped a 13-4 stretch with another three-ball to give the Blue and White a 38-27 margin for their biggest lead of the half with 4:41 to go in the opening half. First year forward Chloe Usher (Honolulu, Hawaii) made a layup for the final points of the half to give the Lyons a 43-33 lead at the intermission.
Greene sank a pair of free throws a minute into the third quarter to make it 43-35 for Gallaudet, but Wheaton went on a blistering 10-2 blitz, paced by four points from Toriello, to increase its advantage to 53-37 with 7:01 remaining in the quarter. Greene hit a jumper to keep the difference the same at 58-42 at 4:14, but the Lyons closed out the quarter with a 14-2 run capped by a Toriello layup to give Wheaton a commanding 72-44 margin going into the final quarter of play.
The Bison pulled within 75-51 after getting six points from Greene but it was as close as they would get for the rest of the game. The Lyons put together a 13-5 stretch to end the contest with a 35-point victory.
Wheaton opened the game with a 10-6 lead, backed by six points from Colbert and four from first year forward Abi Weidman (Glastonbury, Conn.). Gallaudet scored the next four points to pull even at 10-10 after a pair of Greene free throws with 3:33 to play in the quarter. The teams remained deadlocked at 14-14 with 48 ticks left in the opening period. Starayev knocked down a trifecta before the end of the quarter to give the Bison an 18-16 lead.
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday, November 10 when they open their home schedule against Roger Williams University at 7:00 p.m. at Emerson Gymnasium, while Gallaudet hosts Eastern Mennonite University on November 12 at 5:00 p.m.
