The Amherst women’s basketball team is heading to its 11th straight NESCAC semifinal after a win over Trinity this past weekend that brought the Mammoths’ overall record to 25-0.
The top-seeded Mammoths demolished the eighth-seeded Bantams in a 56-34 victory, that showcased Amherst’s versatility and complete confidence heading into the second round of the tournament.
Hannah Fox ’20 had a monster performance in the contest, leading the team in with 17 points while also snatching five steals. Fox had nine of her points in the first quarter, comprising most of Amherst’s scoring in the opening frame.
The Mammoths held a 13-11 advantage going into the second quarter and quickly took the opportunity to extend the lead, posting 10 consecutive points over a five-minute span to increase the margin to 13 points. When the halftime whistle blew, Amherst led by a score of 28-18.
The Mammoths put the final nail in the Bantams’ coffin in the opening minutes of the third quarter, refusing to allow Trinity to score a single point in the first five minutes of the frame.
This tight Mammoth defense, along with hot shooting, allowed Amherst to outscore the visitors in the quarter by a ridiculous 12-point margin, 17-5.
After the third quarter rout, the final frame was more subdued and ended up being even in scoring — both the Mammoths and Bantams tallied a total of 11 points.
However, the combination of Amherst’s insurmountable 22-point lead through three quarters and the team’s exceptional defense didn’t allow for a late Trinity comeback.
More standout Amherst play came from sophomore Cam Hendricks, who put up nine points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals for the Mammoths.
Senior captain Hannah Hackley had an excellent game as a distributor, finding six assists to go with her six points and two steals. Emma McCarthy ’19 added eight points and collected seven boards.
With the win, the Mammoths maintained their undefeated record on the season and will host the remainder of the NESCAC tournament at home this coming weekend, with the semifinals taking place on Saturday against Wesleyan at 1 p.m.
The winner of that contest will go on to the championship match against either Bowdoin or Tufts the next day.
As the defending NESCAC champions, the Mammoths will look to defend their title this weekend.