Strong Second Half Lifts Women's Basketball To Win

The Wells College women's basketball team won for the second time in the last three games when the Express used a strong third quarter and effective play in closing out the contest in a 56-53 victory over Keuka College on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Schwartz Center.

With a victory over its North Eastern Athletic Conference North Division, Wells improved its record to 6-10 overall and 5-6 in the NEAC. Keuka is 9-8 overall and 6-6 in the NEAC.

Ashida Cooper scored 39 points for Wells, the fifth time this season that she's scored 30 points or more. It is her second 39-point game, which is one shy of her career-best 40-point game. She had eight steals. Cooper is the NEAC's leading scorer at 25.5 points per game.

Wells trailed 16-15 after the first quarter and 29-15 at halftime. The Express outscored Keuka 18-12 in the third quarter. That included a 6-0 run to start the quarter and a 7-0 run that gave Wells a 43-37 lead.

The Express led 43-41 after three, and Keuka scored the opening basket of the fourth to tie the score. Wells answered with five points in a row and was never tied or trailed the rest of the way. Wells was 7-for-7 at the free-throw line in the final quarter to close out the win.

Shelby Medovich added 11 points for Wells and Kamarie Maturine pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Express in that category. Only 16 total personal fouls were called between the two teams over the 40-minute contest.

Wells wore red uniforms in front of a spirited crowd on Wells Wednesday, a long-standing tradition in which the campus community wears red clothing to demonstrate school spirit.

The Express continues NEAC play this weekend with home games on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 4-5. Wells hosts Cazenovia College at 1 p.m. Saturday and Morrisville State College on Sunday at noon.