LEWISTON, ME. – The Wesleyan women's basketball team drop their final game of the regular season against Bates, 54-46 in a low scoring affair. The Bobcats held a double-digit led for the vast majority of the first three quarters of play before the Cardinals went on a late 4^th quarter run that was able to trim the lead to as little as four before Bates was able to make some free throws late and close the door in the regular season finale for both teams. Wesleyan will end the regular season 10-14 (3-7 NESCAC), finishing 10^th in the NESCAC. Bates wins and improves to 13-10 (5-5 NESCAC) to finish 5^th in the conference.

Bates came out of the gate swinging, scoring the first 11 points of the game, while holding the Cardinals without a field goal for over five and a half minutes of game time. Two Abby Gray '24 free throws went through at the 4:50 mark of the first quarter and Wesleyan was on the board, 11-2. After a Bates bucket on the other end, Brooke Guiffre '23 converted Wesleyan's first field goal of the game, draining a three with 4:21 left in the quarter. Even with only one made field goal, the Cardinals were still in the game at 13-5. The teams would go back and forth over the final four minutes with the Bobcats' Morgan Kennedy knocking down a free throw in the final seconds to take a 10 point lead into the first break.

Tori DaCosta '25 opened the second quarter with a short midrange jumper and the Cardinals had it back without single digits at eight. Just one minute later Gray found space in the paint to trim it to seven, but that would be the closest the Cardinals would get in the 2^nd quarter. The Bobcats slowly extended their lead throughout the final eight minutes of the quarter stretching it out to 15 heading into the halftime break.

Another DaCosta bucket to open the 3^rd followed by a pair of Olivia Quinn '26 free throws quickly had the deficit back down to 11 for the Cardinals early in the quarter. The Bobcats continued to pound the ball inside, scoring a handful of layups to extend their lead back out to 15 with 3:47 left in the 3^rd quarter. Wesleyan was able to create some momentum going into the final 10 minutes of play, going on a 5-1 run in the final minute of the 3^rd. Maggie Lee '23 hit a big triple, followed by some free throws by Alana Jones '24

Jones got the scoring going to open the final quarter on a driving layup and Wesleyan was back within nine. Some solid defense from the Cardinals held the Bobcats without a point for the first four and a half minutes of the quarter, cutting into the lead on some free throws and paint touches. A big three from Guiffre with just 3:54 to go had the Cardinals the closest it had been since the opening minutes of the game at four. Meghan Graff responded for the Bobcats with a layup and free throw and their lead was back up to seven with 3:11 left. Wesleyan would not be able to convert another field goal for the final three minutes and Bates was able to ice it with some free throws to come away with the eight-point victory.

Wesleyan finishes the game shooting 21.1% from the field while Bates was able to manage 31.3%. Guiffre led the Cardinals with 11 points (3/10 FG) and two steals. DaCosta did some work on the glass, bringing down a game-high 13 boards. For the Bobcats it was Graff with 20 points (8/25 FG) to lead the way. Wesleyan has their season end in Maine, finishing 10^th in the NESCAC.