The Wildcats Jumped the Frogs 59-21

AMHERST, Mass.-Senior starting forward Jessica Hunt (Madison, Conn.) topped all players with 19 points, while picking up a double double adding 10 rebounds while ushering the Wildcats of Bay Path College to a 59-21 rout of the Frogs of Hampshire College in women's basketball today at the Robert Crown Center.

Head Coach R.J. Toner cleared the bench in today's game with all players seeing substantial time on the court. Two other Wildcats notched double figures including fellow seniors' starting guard Christina Calabrese (Hamilton, Mass.) with 14 points and starting forward Ashley Cimmino (Westfield, Mass.) finishing with 11 points.

Bay Path took advantage of a bad passing game by the Frogs picking up 26 steals. Calabrese and freshman guard Brittney Alexander (Enfield, Conn.) each managed six steals apiece. Hunt had five steals while Cimmino and senior center Kathleen Rodrigue (W. Stewartstown, N.H.) combined for six.

The Wildcats scored 38 of their 59 points off of turnovers. Bay Path also had some impressive offensive boards with 12 second chance shots made while grabbing 21 offensive rebounds to Hampshire's four for the contest.

The game started off slow for Bay Path with Hampshire grabbing the early lead going up by as much as five points at 17:00 minutes off by center (Thetford, Vt.) after hitting a bucket from the charity stripe. The Frogs' starting point guard LaRay Brison (Boston, Mass.) ran an effective offense the first ten minutes of the first half. Brison finished with six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Hunt brought the game back to the control of the Wildcats at 11:56 on the clock hitting both free throws to grab the lead. Bay Path never looked back and at 1:46 left in the game hit their largest lead by 38 points. Hunt had an amazing night at the line with an 81.3 % (13-for-16).

Defensively Hampshire had two players had eight boards each combining for 16 rebounds including guard Allison Smartt (Verona, N.J.) and forward Shanell Paulk (New York, N.Y.).  Paulk added four points.

Alexander had seven points, while junior Katie Begin (Weare, N.H.) chipped in six points, three assists, two steals and two rebounds. Sophomore center Janise Shabazz (New Castle, Del.) picked up her first collegiate bucket. Defensively junior center Sam Hahn (Hadley, Mass.) had four rebounds and one steal.

Bay Path improves to 3-4 on the season, while Hampshire falls to 3-5. The Wildcats will host Johnson State at 1:00 p.m. over at the Golden Bear Arena on WNEC's campus tomorrow.