NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Katelyn Pickunka and Mary Jo Whalen both scored 20 points and the Smith College women's basketball team scored 22 fourth quarter points to come-from-behind and defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 74-65 in a non-league game at Ainsworth Gymnasium. The Pioneers improve to 9-0, while the Engineers drop to 7-2.
Rensselaer outscored the Pioneers 20-11 in the third quarter to take a 55-52 lead, but Smith took control back through the first five minutes of the fourth for a 70-63 advantage. Whalen hit a jumper and Ashlyn Bohn hit a three-pointer for a 57-55 lead.
Ines Ortea answered with a three, but baskets by Pickunka, Ally Yamada and Pickunka gave the Pioneers a 63-58 advantage.
Brielle Sharry cut the deficit to two points with a trey but Bohn made another shot from behind the arc - her third of the game - for a five-point lead.
Sharry made a pair of free throws, but Yamada had a pair of her own and Pickunka scored from inside the paint for a 70-63 lead. A layup by Ortea pulled RPI to within 70-65, but Smith scored the next two baskets for a nine point lead, 74-65, with two minutes to play. The Engineers had three more offensive possessions but could not convert.
Smith held a 41-35 lead at halftime behind 14 points from Pickunka and seven from Bohn. The Pioneers, who shot 54.3% (19 of 35) from the floor in the first 20 minutes, held a 23-17 edge in rebounds.
Celia Tomlinson had nine points for the Engineers, who made 12 of 36 shots (33.3%) with five three-pointers.
Ortea led RPI with 18 points, while Tomlinson had 13. Sharry also reached double digits, scoring 11 points, including three three-pointers. The loss was Rensselaer's first in its last seven games.
The Engineers are now idle until January 5 when they travel to NYU (3pm).
