Box Score
Amherst, MA- The second ranked team in the nation for Division III Women's Basketball demonstrated why they have achieved that ranking when the Williams College Ephs traveled to LeFrak Gymnasium to play in their first conference game of the year. Amherst (11-0, 1-0 NESCAC) jumped out to a 50-19 halftime lead enroute to a 76-44 victory over the Ephs. Williams (10-3, 0-1 NESCAC) was led in the game by junior point guard Amanni Fernandez, who scored 12 points. Fernandez was backed up by senior co-captain Devon Caveney, who finished two rebounds shy of a double-double with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Amherst received distributed scoring across the board with four starters putting up double digit point totals.
Williams knew the key areas that they would need to show success in to play with a team of Amherst's caliber, but the execution of the game plan was made difficult by the speed and size of their opponents. Williams head coach Pat Manning noted after Wednesday's win vs. Castleton University that in order to contain Amherst her team would have to slow them down in transition, limit their second chance opportunities, and limit the unforced errors. The stat line of the first half made it clear why the score at the break stood at 50-19 in favor of Amherst. Amherst scored 21 points off of 13 Williams turnovers, grabbed twice as many rebounds as the Ephs (24-12), and dominated the paint, scoring 30 points from close range.
A physical disadvantage turned into an offensive obstacle for the Ephs. Caveney was the only Williams player to find shooting success in the first half, going 3-5 from the field for 7 points. The Williams team as a whole shot just 27% from the field through the first two quarters. On the other end of the floor, Amherst senior Ali Doswell and sophomore Emma McCarthy both reached double digit scoring in the first half, racking up 12 and 14 points respectively.
The rest of the game proceeded in roughly the same manner as the first. Amherst slowed down the tempo, milking the clock while still generating the looks that they wanted both inside and out. The Amherst defense continued to give the Ephs fits offensively, though Caveney added four more to her scoring total and sharpshooting freshman Emily Chang knocked down her second three pointer of the game. Fernandez also made her presence known down the stretch, scoring all 12 of her points in the final quarter.
Manning felt her team did not match the intensity of Amherst, saying after the game, "Amherst is a great team with a lot of weapons that can hurt you in many ways, and we were tentative and cautious, and every time they sensed that in us they took advantage of it. We have to play with more intensity, especially in conference games." Manning also said her team failed to execute in key areas such as transition defense, adding, "We broke down as a unit. We tried to do it all individually rather than as a team. That won't work going forward." Manning did mention one individual performance that stood out in her mind, applauding Caveney for her work on both ends of the floor and emphasizing the passion that her captain plays with every game.
This first game of conference play is sure to be a learning experience for a Williams team striving to become more consistent in their play. The road does not get easier from here, as over the rest of their conference schedule the Ephs will face two more ranked teams including Tufts University, who sit atop the national rankings. Immediately next is another road matchup against Trinity College on Sunday, in which the Ephs will look to bounce back against a Trinity team that has gone 9-2 so far this season.
