HIGGINS' 23 NOT ENOUGH AS SAINTS FALL TO BABSON

BOSTON, Mass. – The Babson College women's basketball team stifled Emmanuel in the closing minutes of each half to claim the championship at the 32^nd Annual EC Invitational with a 80-75 win on Sunday afternoon.

The Beavers had four players score in double figures, including tournament MVP senior Linnett Graber, who finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Babson led 18-17 after the first quarter before the teams proceeded to score exactly 40 points each in the second and third quarters combined

The major difference in the result was Babson's play in the final minutes of each quarter.

In the second quarter, the Saints led by six with 44 seconds left, and the Beavers scored seven straight over a 33-second span to take a 38-37 lead into the halftime break.

Once again, at the two-minute mark of the third quarter, the Saints led 57-50 after a Ryan Maynard jumper. Graber took over in the remainder of the quarter and scored eight unanswered points and gave the visitors a 58-57 lead heading to the final frame.

Babson extended the lead to as many as eight points with 1:02 left in the fourth quarter and they withstood two threes by Maynard in the final seconds to clinch the victory.

Emmanuel senior Sarah Higgins led all scorers with 23 points and she added eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and three steals in the losing effort. She was selected to the All-Tournament team for the second straight season.

Giovanna Pickering, Elizabeth Lane, and Kristen Ferola all reached double figures for the Beavers who saw offensive production from each of the nine players that saw action. Pickering and Ferola were both named to the All-Tournament team.

Graduate student Lena Negri, an All-Tournament team member, produced a double-double for the hosts with 13 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes of play.

The tournament staff announced the All-Tournament team following the championship game:

Baruch – Jacqueline Kennedy (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Emmanuel – Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.)
Emmanuel – Lena Negri (Arlington, Va.)
Babson – Giovanna Pickering (Hull, Mass.)
Babson – Kristen Ferola (Amherst, Mass.)
MVP – Babson – Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J.)

Looking ahead, the Saints travel to Eastern Connecticut State on Tuesday, November 7 for a 7:00 p.m. contest. The Beavers travel to the Williams Classic where they will face Rensselaer and Williams on November 21 and 22.