AMHERST, Mass. – Facing a ranked opponent for the first time this season, the Wesleyan women's basketball team gave No. 7 Amherst a battle, but ultimately fell short in a 65-55 defeat on Monday night. Wesleyan's defeat drops the Cardinals to 4-4 while the Mammoths remain unbeaten at 6-0.
 
Trailing by 17 at the half, Wesleyan exploded for a 24-point third quarter, outscoring the Mammoths by 12 to cut the deficit down to as few as three points in the frame. And then in the fourth, the Cardinals responded a few times as Amherst opened an eight-point lead that was cut down to two with six minutes left, but a few key defensive stands late proved enough for the hosts in a competitive affair between Little Three rivals.
 
As the Cardinals struggled to get much going offensively in the first half against one of the top defensive teams in the NESCAC, Amherst built a 39-22 lead at the half. The Cardinals shot just 28 percent in the first half while the Mammoths hit on a 42.9 percent clip on their shot attempts. Reeya Patel had 16 points at the break to lead all scorers.
 
Relying on the three-point shot, the Cardinals came alive in the second half, scoring more points in the third quarter (24) than the team did in the entire first half. As a team, Wesleyan was a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point land while Wesleyan shot 60 percent (9-for-15) overall. On the defensive end, the Cardinals executed just as well, holding the Mammoths to 4-of-13 shooting and 0-for-5 from three while also forcing six turnovers.
 
Amherst stretched their lead to 20 points before the rally bid commenced as Brooke Guiffre '23 scored eight consecutive points. Alana Jones '24 added to the run with a three-point play, as the Amherst lead was cut from 20 all the way down to 11 in a span of less than three minutes. The run continued as Abby Gray '24 connected on a three-pointer before a Lena Benway floater in the paint made it 45-41 Mammoths with 3:11 left in the third, as the Cardinals were in the midst of a 21-5 run.
 
Olivia Quinn '26 hit what was the fourth Cardinal three-pointer in the quarter with 1:08 left, lowering the gap to three points, before the quarter ended with Amherst leading 49-44.
 
Amherst hit a three to start the fourth but Wesleyan responded with a 6-0 run as Tori DaCosta hit a jumper in the paint that made it 52-50 Mammoths with 6:08 left. However, the Wesleyan offense stalled for the next four minutes, as Maggie Lee '23 put an end to the scoring drought with a three-pointer that made it 58-53 Amherst. The Mammoth lead was again five points with 1:10 remaining and with one last-ditch effort down six with 38 seconds left, Amherst forced a crucial turnover that finished off a competitive affair.
 
Four Cardinals reached double figures in points as Guiffre led the way with 12 while adding six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Gray totaled 11 points with eight rebounds and Quinn hit all three of her three-point attempts to record 11 points off the bench. Lee added 10 points.
 
Patel led all scorers with 26 points as she went 8-for-17 from the floor and 9-of-10 at the free throw line. Kori Barach posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three assists and four steals. AnLing Vera totaled eight points, five assists, four steals, and three rebounds as the trio each played all 40 minutes in the victory.
 
Wesleyan continues non-conference play with a Wednesday night showdown against Skidmore at 7:00 PM from Silloway Gymnasium.