Springfield, Mass. — January 7, 2012 — Behind senior center Nicki Wurdeman’s 18 points and 10 rebounds, the Babson College women’s basketball team, ranked No. 20 nationally, put the clamps down defensively on Springfield College, and won a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference game, 61-38, this afternoon at SC’s Blake Arena.

With the win, Babson ups its record to 10-2 overall, 6-0 in NEWMAC play. Springfield falls to 7-6 overall, 3-3 in the conference.

The Beavers held Springfield to a .264 shooting percentage for the game, and outrebounded the Pride, 50-27.

Besides Wurdeman’s 18 points and 10 rebounds, Babson also was led by two more players who scored 11 points each. Senior forward Kathleen King (Framingham, Mass.) scored 11 and added 11 rebounds, while junior guard Allanah Wynn (Quincy, Mass.) scored 11, adding three steals. Junior forward Sarah Collins (Weymouth, Mass.) tallied seven points and added 10 rebounds.

For Springfield, senior guard Kelly Murphy (Mechanicville, N.Y.) led with eight points, followed by junior guard Colleen Dignum (Albany, N.Y.) with seven, and junior forward Emily Walker (East Lyme, Conn.), senior guard Andrea Butler (Cohoes, N.Y.), and freshman forward Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn.) with six apiece. Bickelhaupt led Springfield with five rebounds, Butler with five assists, and three steals.

Babson turned it over 25 times, which was the main reason Springfield was hanging around, especially in the first half. The Pride turned it over 16 times.

Babson never trailed in this contest. At the half, Babson led 26-18. With 11:07 left in the first half, Dignum made the second of two consecutive three-pointers to cut Babson’s margin to one, 12-11. That was as close as the Pride would come in that stanza.

When Murphy made two free throws with 2:41 left it was still just a three-point game at 21-18. But freshman guard Erin Young (Westwood, Mass.) made a 3-pointer for Babson with 55 seconds left, and King made a short jumper with three seconds left to give Babson an eight-point halftime margin.

The Beavers allowed Springfield a .214 shooting percentage (6-of-28) at the intermission.

In the second half, Wurdeman, who hails from Rowley, Mass., would score 12 of her 18 points. In the first 2:57 of that half, Babson outscored Springfield, 9-4, and suddenly there was separation with Babson leading 35-22.

With 4:19 left to play, Babson had its largest lead (by 25) following two free throws by King at 59-34.

Springfield next hosts another NEWMAC game on Wednesday, Jan. 11 versus Coast Guard at 5:30 pm