Women's Basketball Upended By Cazenovia, 79-65

CAZENOVIA, N.Y. – The Wells College women's basketball team posted a 79-65 loss to Cazenovia College Wednesday afternoon. With the loss, Wells falls to 2-7 overall and to 1-3 within the North Eastern Athletic Conference. Cazenovia (4-6, 2-1 NEAC) picks up their first win over Wells dating back to Dec. 7, 2011.

Wells poured home 10 three-point baskets against the Wildcats, shattering the single-game team record of eight set earlier this season against Morrisville State College. Cumulatively, the team was 10-for-24 (.417), setting a program record for three-point efficiency. Senior Cassie Smythe (Eden, N.Y.) fired home six three-point baskets, breaking her own single-game record set against the Mustangs earlier this year. Her single game .545 three-point percentage also is a team record.

Freshman Yanna Ososkalo (Lyme, N.Y.) set a career-high scoring mark with 11 points, shooting 4-for-8 from the floor. Junior Jasmine Thomas (Las Vegas, Nev.) also posted a career-best nine points after a 3-for-6 performance from long range. Freshman Kamarie Maturine (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led Wells with eight rebounds.

The Express opened up a 5-0 lead in the contest but allowed the game's next 14 points. From there, the Wildcats took control the game and eventually built a 34-15 lead with 1:39 remaining in the first half. Wells, however, closed the opening 20 minutes strong as back-to-back three-point baskets by Smythe within 13 seconds shrunk the halftime deficit.

Trailing by a 37-23 margin at the half, Wells scored the first six points of the second half with back-to-back three's by Smythe and Thomas, setting the score at 37-29. In total, Wells converted four three-point attempts in the game's prior 1:17 spanning both halves. Despite a brief rally by Cazenovia, Smythe hit another three-point attempt for her team's fifth-straight long distance shot.

At that point in the contest, Wells still trailed by a 41-32 score with 17:50 left in regulation time. Cazenovia scored eight-straight points, however, and kept the Express at arm's length throughout the remainder of regulation time.

Skylar Girard led Cazenovia with 23 total points, shooting an impressive 10-for-14 from the floor and adding three shots from beyond the arc. Kelli Shepardson cashed in with 17 points while the rest of the Cazenovia roster scored below seven total points. Cumulatively, 13 different players scored at least one point for the Wildcats.

Wells returns to action Saturday, Jan. 17 as they face-off against Bryn Athyn on the road at 1 p.m. The Lions are in their first season as full members of the North Eastern Athletic Conference and will face-off against the Express for the first time.