Springfield, Mass. - February 11, 2015 - Sophomore guard Lexi Windwer (Milton, Mass.) posted a team-high 17 points including four three-pointers, as the Springfield College women's basketball program cruised to a 62-42 victory over Babson College on Wednesday evening in Blake Arena.

With the win, Springfield gains sole possession of first-place in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) and improves to 17-6 overall, with a 12-2 mark in league play. With the loss, Babson falls to 15-7 overall and 11-3 in the NEWMAC.

Springfield shot 24-for-50 (48%) on the evening, including going 14-of-22 (63.6%) in the second half, its best shooting half of the season, to aid in the victory, while Babson only mustered 14-of-50 (28%) in the loss. The Pride came into the contest as just one of seven teams in the top 20 ranked in both field-goal percentage defense (31.8%) and scoring defense (50.3 points per game).

The Pride, who scored 20 points off of Babson turnovers, aslo held a 22-18 scoring advantage in the paint. Senior forward Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn.) collected her 13th double-double of the season as she went for 15 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while junior guard Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) posted 16 points on the evening.

For Babson, Jennifer Narlee (Medfield, Mass.) posted a team-high 12 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Linnett Graber (Rosefield, N.J.) posted seven points and seven rebounds in the loss.

Springfield jumped out to an early 7-1 advantage after Bickelhaupt's second three-pointer of the contest, before Pickering banked in a jumper to cut the Beaver's deficit back to four.

After a triple from Marissa Cicchetti (Mansfield, Mass.) brought Babson to within one, Danielle Racette (North Adams, Mass.) went end-to-end and finished a bucket in transition to give the Pride an 11-8 lead with 12:52 remaining in the first, forcing a Babson timeout.

Holding a 15-11 lead midway through the opening half after a rebound and lay-up from Emily Gins (Fort Myers, Fla.), back-to-back baskets from the Beavers to even the game at 15 apiece.

Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J) would give the Beavers a 19-17 lead with a lay-up underneat the basket, but on the ensuing possession, Windwer canned a three-pointer to give the hosts back a one-point edge.

With one minute left in the first half, Lewis collected a rebound and converted the lay-up before Racette knocked down a three-pointer with just two seconds remaining to give the Pride a 28-22 lead at halftime.

Holding a 34-26 lead over Babson just minutes into the second half, Gins hit a free-throw, before Heather King (Lebanon, N.H.) cashed in on a jumper to give the Pride an 11-point lead, its largest of the contest.

Windwer then stretched the Pride's lead to 14 after Bickelhaupt reeled in her own rebound and kicked the ball out to the sophomore, who drilled a three from the corner. On the Pride's next possession, Windwer converted a step back jumper to give the Pride a 14-point cushion, capping a 14-4 run and forcing a Babson timeout with 12:58 remaining.

With a 48-30 lead midway through the second half, both sides traded baskets before Lewis hti the baseline and hit a reverse lay-up to give the Pride a 20-point lead, 52-32. Bickelhaupt then pushed Springfield's lead to 22 after capitalizing on an assist from Lewis, before Babson converted a free-throw from the stripe to cut the Pride's lead to 16.

Back-to-back three-pointers from Windwer sealed the victory for the Pride, as Springfield cruised to a 62-42 victory.

Up next, Springfield will host MIT on Saturday, February 11 in Blake Arena at 12 p.m.