THE BASICS
Score: Smith 77, Emerson 65
Records: Emerson Lions (14-11, 5-5 NEWMAC) ; Smith Pioneers (22-4, 7-3 NEWMAC)
Location: Northampton, Mass.
Date: Wednesday, February 26^th, 2020
The Lead: In her final game as a Lion, Quinn Madden (Mokena, Ill.) scored 22 points and assisted on 6 Lions' baskets but the No. 6 seeded Women's Basketball team fell to the No. 3 seeded smith Pioneers in the NEWMAC Tournament First Round, 77-65. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Emerson

Points: Quinn Madden (22), Rachel Davey (13), Sam Boyle (12)
Rebounds: Kate Foultz (7), Madden (7), Natalie Clydesdale (4), Davey (4), Boyle (4)
Assists: Davey (6), Madden (4), Ashley Toner (4)

Smith

Points: Jessie Ruffner (15), Katelyn Pickuncka (14), Morgan Morrison (13), Elle Jo Whalen (12), Amelia Clairmont (10)
Rebounds: Pickunka (13), Morrison (11)
Assists: Dashelle Gleissner (6)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Emerson jumped out to an early four point lead on a pair of jumpers from Natalie Clydesdale (Pittsburgh, Penn.) and Kate Foultz (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) After the teams traded two baskets each, the Pioneers knotted the score at 8 behind an Elle Jo Whalen layup.  Foultz and Rachel Davey connecte4d from beyond the arc on back to back possessions for the Lions, giving them their largest lead at 6.  A 9-2 run from the Pioneers gave Smith their first lead of the night, but four straight points from Boyle restored the Lions' lead, with Emerson taking a one point advantage into the second quarter, 20-19. 
• Smith opened up the second frame on a 10-4 run to take a five point lead, but a pair of Madden free throws followed by a Davey three pointer knotted the game back at 29.  Davey and Foultz connected on layups to take a four point lead at 33-29, but Smith closed out the quarter on an 11-2 run to take a seven point advantage into halftime at 42-35.
• Boyle opened the half with four straight points for the Lions with a Smith layup in between.  Smith began to build on their lead, opening the difference up to 11 with six minutes left in the third quarter.  A Madden layup with two minutes left cut the lead to five at 55-50.  Madden connected on a three pointer with 30 ticks remaining in the frame to cut the lead to two, but Smith scored just before time expired to bring their lead back to 4.
• Five straight points from Smith to open up the final frame brought their lead back to nine.  The Lions brought the lead back down to four on a Madden three pointer, and the lead hovered between five and three until there were just under three minutes remaining.  Two straight baskets from Smith extended the lead, and the Lions were unable to overcome the deficit, falling 77-65. 
• Emerson closes out their season with a 15-11 overall record and a 5-5 record in conference tilts.