Box Score Utica 76, Wells 48 - Box Score

Aurora, NY (11/29/2011) – 16 different players saw action on the court as the Utica College women's basketball team cruised to a convincing 76-48 victory at non-conference foe Wells College Tuesday night.  Junior forward Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH/Epping) netted 27 points and grabbed nine boards, while senior point guard Katie McGee (Philadelphia, PA/Nazareth) had another stellar night totaling 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds. 

The Pioneers snapped a two game winning streak and improved its overall record to 3-2 while the Express moved their record to 2-3.  Utica shot 43.3% (29-of-67) from the floor as five different players scored at least seven points.  Freshman Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) put forth another solid effort, scoring ten points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor in 17 minutes off the bench. 

Utica made its first five shots of the contest to jump out to a quick ten point lead, 12-2, in the first 2:53 of the contest.  An 8-3 run by the home team cut the Pioneers' lead in half, 15-10, less than three minutes later.  UC responded with a 9-0 run in a span of less than five minutes to take a commanding 14 point lead midway through the first half of play.  A 7-0 run by Wells to close out the half dwindled the Pioneer lead to 35-27 as the halftime horn sounded.

The Utica advantage was cut to five points early in the second half, but that was as close as the Express would get, and the Pioneers used a 20-4 run, capped by a three-point play from McGee, to give UC a 21 point lead halfway through the second half.  UC extended that lead to as many as 30 points, 74-44, with just under five minutes to go. 

Alyssa Filkins (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) chipped in with eight points for Utica, while senior forward Justine Karst (Olean, NY/Hinsdale) tallied seven points and six rebounds.  Freshman Marissa Kahane (Sayville, NY/Sayville) connected on one 3-pointer, and Adriana Surprenant (Utica, NY/New York Mills) added her first collegiate bucket. 

Jessilyn Artaho-Aki totaled a team-high 16 points for Wells and Kristen Ryan chipped in with ten points and seven rebounds. 

Utica returns to the hardwood on Dec. 3 when the Pioneers travel to Hamilton College for a non-conference match up where they will take on the Continentals at 2 p.m.

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