The Amherst women’s basketball team had a perfect six-week stretch over interterm. The team showed off their dominating offense, beating all of their opponents by at least 15 points, and bringing the team’s record to an impressive 17-0.

The women played their last official game of the first semester on Dec. 13, capping off the first half of the season with a strong win against Bridgewater State. Ali Doswell ’17 led the team with a game-high of 16 points. It was a great overall team effort, with 30 of the team’s points coming from bench players. The final score was 71-45.

The team took a short break for finals and then continued game play in California on Dec. 28. Chapman University was the first team to host the purple and white on their cross-country trip. Emma McCarthy ’19 netted a career high 19 points in the non-league game, helping Amherst score 58 points in the paint to Chapman’s 16. The purple and white went on to win that game by a score of 79-62. While in California the team also played SUNY Oneonta, scoring 39 points off of turnovers and coasting to a 97-31 win.

Back in Amherst, the team played their first league game against rival Williams on Jan. 6. With four starters scoring in double digits, the team easily took care of the Ephs, claiming a 76-44 win. The purple and white went on to play Albright College at home later that week, Jan. 9. With the help of a 12 point effort from Madeline Eck ’20 and 39 points off the bench, Amherst clinched another win, improving their record to 12-0.

Amherst’s closest game of the ten-game stretch came at the hands of Farmingdale State on Jan. 10. The team’s shots weren’t falling, tallying an uncharacteristic 19 of 65 total field goals. The purple and white took advantage of this opportunity to show off their dominant defense, holding their opponents to eight points in the first half and going on to win 49-33.

Amherst faced league opponents Wesleyan and Connecticut College at home on Jan. 13 and 14, respectively. Both games looked easy for the purple and white, who posted a 71-33 win over Wesleyan and a 69-35 win over Conn. College.

This past weekend the team traveled to Maine to face Bowdoin and Colby. At Bowdoin on Friday, Jan. 20, Amherst shot a solid 49.1% from the floor, and came away with a 66-45 win. At Colby, first-year Madeline Eck scored a team high 13 points and the purple and took the matchup easily, 69-43.

The team is currently ranked second in the country and looking to finish out their regular season on a high note. The women will take the court again on 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25 on the road at NESCAC rival Williams.