Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA --Bates College roared out to an early lead Sunday and never looked back, defeating RPI, 68-51, on the second day of the Williams College Winter Classic.
Bates improved to 7-5 with the victory, while RPI fell to 2-7.
All-Tournament selection Meredith Kelly led Bates with 21 points, one of five Bobcat players in double figures. Julia Rafferty, Chelsea Nason, Allaina Murphy and Allie Coppola each scored 10 points for the winners.
All-Tournament selection Ashley Clough led RPI with 14 points.
It was the Bobcat defense that was a forced to be reckoned with early in the contest, forcing turnover after turnover for RPI while building a 10-4 lead on the strength of six points from Murphy.
The Bobcats closed the half with a 10-2 run that sent them into the locker room with a comfortable 33-17 advantage. Nason netted four points, two from the foul line and two on a 12-foot jumper, and then Raffery took over, draining a three and than hitting a 14-foot baseline jumper.
RPI finished with 15 first-half turnovers that led directly to 12 Bates points. Kelly had three of Bates' six steals in the half and led the way with nine points. Bates shot 50 percent (13 of 26) from the floor while RPI managed just 32 percent (8 of 25).
The Bates lead ballooned to 29 mid-way through the second half. Kelly scored 10 of her 21 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half.She finished with nine rebounds, six steals and one assist. Nason posted a double-double with 10 rebounds added to her 10-point afternoon.
Bates outrebounded RPI 36-32 on the day. The Engineers committed 27 turnovers.
