Box Score
LEWISTON, ME. — Senior Chessie Jackson scored six of her game-high 19 points down the stretch Friday night to help the Williams College women's basketball team survive a physical battle with Bates in its conference opener, 56-50.
Williams (14-1, 1-0) travels to Tufts today for a 4 p.m. tip-off.
Jill Greenberg also had a big night for Williams with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Claire Baecher tossed in 13 points to go with four rebounds and four blocks.
It was the first-time in Pat Manning 22-year run as Williams coach that a team of hers had won in Bates' Alumni Gymnasium.
"It's a great win, we've lost a lot of close ones here — and some not so close ones — but tonight we had to work every second of the game to earn the win. We played some great defense down the stretch and did much better on the glass. And we received key contributions from a lot of people, a real team win."
The Ephs stretched a two-point halftime lead to eight, 46-38, with 7:13 to go after Taylor Shea converted a three-quarters length pass from Jill Greenberg into a lay-up, but the Bobcats responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead, 47-46, when Allie Beaulieu hit a pair of free throws with 4:37 remaining in the game.
The Ephs dug deep, outscoring their hosts 10-3 over the remaining time to walk away winners. After Baecher regained the lead for Williams with a drive into the lane and a four-foot jumper and Greenberg scored a runner in transition, Jackson scored the final six points of the night for the Ephs.
"It was a really gutsy win for us," Manning said. "To be able to bounce back after we had given up the lead late, that's a real maturation process for us. In the past when that's happened, we'd fold, but this team remained calm and focused."
The Ephs held a slim 27-25 lead at the halftime break after controlling play over the first 12 and a half minutes of the game. A late 13-0 Bates run sparked by a pair of three-pointers from Allie Beaulieu cut a 26-12 Williams lead to 26-25.
After Baecher hit one of two free throws with 51 seconds left, only a Danny Rainer block of a Annie Burns lay-up attempt in the final seconds allowed the Ephs to escape to their locker room with the lead.
The opening minutes of the game were all Williams as senior Jackson came roaring out of the gates, scoring all nine of her first-half points in the opening 3:52 to help Williams to a 13-4 lead. Williams led 16-12 when Greenberg hit a three, then came up with a steal and a lay-up to make it 21-12 at the midway point.
Beaulieu led the Bobcats with 14 points and eight rebounds from off the bench. Jessie Igoe contributed 10 points and seven boards.
Bates stayed in the game throughout despite shooting only .295 (18-61) from the field, compared to Williams' .460 percentage (23-50). The teams tied in rebounding, 38-38, and although Williams turned the ball over 20 times to Bates' 15, the Ephs outscored the Bobcats 23-14 in points off turnovers.
