Warburton leads women’s basketball over Wheelock, 72-55

CHESTNUT HILL, MA – Junior forward Trafficia Warburton (Worcester, MA) posted a double-double of 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Anna Maria College women's basketball team over host Wheelock College, 72-55, this evening at Brunelli Court on the campus of Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA.  The AMCATS improve to 4-4 on the season, while the Wildcats fall to 1-8.

Anna Maria forced 32 turnovers and owned a 45-38 rebounding advantage, including 23 offensive boards.

AMC owned a 35-20 advantage at halftime, but Wheelock opened the second half on an 11-2 run, capped by a layup from freshman guard Amber Tudor (Bronx, NY) to pull the home team to within 37-33 with 15:44 to play in the period.  The teams traded baskets and after freshman guard Emily Doyle (Lynn, MA) converted a layup for the Wildcats, the AMCATS called a timeout.  Warburton came back into the game and immediately paid dividends, stealing the ball on Wheelock's possession and turning it into a fast break layup to begin an 18-6 stretch over the next six-plus minutes, fueled by eight points from Warburton, to give the visitors a 58-41 cushion to put the game away.  Anna Maria led by as many as 21 when freshman point guard Deja Taitt (Jamaica, NY) made a layup with 1:44 showing on the second half clock, giving the AMCATS a 72-51 lead.

The teams played within four points of each other through the first six and half minutes of play and Anna Maria held a 10-9 edge with 13:23 remaining in the first half.  The AMCATS got some breathing room with eight unanswered points and took an 18-9 margin with 10:23 to go in the period.  Freshman point guard Jaime Grzych (Columbia, CT) later hit a free throw to complete a three-point play for the Wildcats to cut the deficit to 21-14 with seven minutes left in the first half, but Anna Maria put together a 12-2 burst, paced by five points each from Warburton and sophomore guard Lindsay Bond (Webster, MA), to take a 33-16 lead with 2:37 to play in the half.

Warburton added four steals and an assist to her night, while Bond finished with 12 points, six boards, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot for the AMCATS.  Senior forward Taylor Walker (Winchendon, MA) finished a point shy of a double-double with nine points and 15 rebounds to go with three steals, three assists and a block. 

Freshman center Michelle Woods (Wilmington, MA) led Wheelock with 23 points on 10-19 from the floor and added nine rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.  Grzych matched the school record with a career-high nine assists in addition to five points, four rebounds and a steal, while freshman forward Shannon Garvey (Clarksburg, MA) chipped in with eight points on 3-5 from the field, five rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal.  Tudor ended the evening with a career-high eight points and also grabbed four rebounds, handed out three assists and came up with a pair of steals.  Sophomore forward Kelsey Becker (Hanover, MA) contributed off the bench with a game-high six steals and added four rebounds and an assist.

The Wildcats will be in action again on Saturday, December 14 when they travel to take on Fisher College in a 4:00 p.m. matchup in Boston, while Anna Maria heads to neighboring Worcester, MA on December 12 to play Worcester Polytechnic Institute at 7:00 p.m.

Release courtesy Wheelock Sports Information Department