Springfield, Mass, - January 24, 2015 - Double digit scoring efforts from juniors Emily Gins (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) paced the Springfield College women's basketball program to a 61-33 victory over Emerson College on Saturday afternoon in Blake Arena.

With the win, the Pride have now won five-straight contests and 11 out of its last 12, improving to 13-5 on the season and 8-1 in conference play. With the loss, Emerson falls to 9-8 overall and 4-5 in the NEWMAC. In a game featuring two of the top field-goal percentage defensive teams in the country, the Pride earned the upper hand, holding Emerson to just 10-for-46 (21.7%) from the field. Springfield was 26-for-68 (38.2%) on the day and outrebounded the Lions by 33, collecting 60 boards to their 27. Over the past two contests, the Pride have outrebounded ts opponents 106-53, a differential of 53 rebounds and has scored a total of 32 second-chance points. The Pride's 68 field-goals attempted and 26 field-goals made are both season highs.

Lewis was the game's top scorer, netting 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, while Gins complimented with 11 points and nine rebounds of her own. Senior captain Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn.) posted seven points and 15 rebounds in the victory. Senior guard Andrea Moschetta (Harrison, N.Y.) proved to be a leader on the court for Springfield, picking up three points, three assists and three rebounds along the way. Moschetta currently ranks No. 1 in the NEWMAC and No. 21 in the country with an assist-turnover ratio of 2.2.

Springfield jumped out to an early 6-0 lead after Lewis hit a jump shot in transition, but the lead was quickly erased by Emerson, who would go on an 8-1 run to take a one-point advantage and forcing a Springfield time-out.

After back-to-back baskets from sophomore center Ava Adamopoulos (Ludlow, Mass.) and senior captain
Riley Fake (Brockport, N.Y.), the Pride re-gained its lead before sophomore guard Dina Pitsas (Milford, N.H.) pushed the Pride's lead to five with after capitalizing on an end-to-end run.

With a 14-10 lead midway through the first half, Maya Savino (Killingworth, Conn.) drained a three to cut the Lions' deficit to one, but on the ensuing possession, Lewis knocked down a mid-range jumper to give the Pride back a three-point lead.

After a layup from Sierra Ducey (Poway, Calif.) to make it 18-15, Springfield, the Pride scored seven unaswered points, capped off by a jump shot from Adamopoulos to give the Pride a 25-15 lead. Janissa Delzo (Middlesex, N.J.) would knock down a pair of free-throws before Lewis would convert a jumper to end the first half giving the Pride a 27-17 lead at the break.

Just 5:30 into the second half, a free throw from junior forward Gins would give the Pride a 16-point lead, before a lay-in from Adamopoulos put the Pride up 39-22 midway through the second half. Extending its lead to 21 after a bucket from Adamopoulos, the sophomore posted back-to-back assists to Gins to help the Pride take a 47-24 lead with 8:00 to go in the contest.

With a 54-29 lead late in the contest, Emerson would trade baskets before a pair of free throws from Bickelhaupt sealed the victory for the Pride.

Springfield will resume play on Wednesday, January 28 when it will travel to Worcester, Mass. to take on Clark University in a NEWMAC contest. The game is slated for 7 p.m.