BEREA, Ohio -- The Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball defeated Bethany (Pa.) College, 78-39, in its home opener in the opening game of the second day of the 2014 BW Invitational in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.
BW (1-1) was led by senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC guard Audrey Smolik (Strongsville) with a game-high 18 points and a team-high-tying seven rebounds. Bethany (3-1) was led by Sami Schott with 11 points.
In addition to Smolik, sophomore guard Sydney Clark (Parma/ Lake Ridge Academy) scored a career-high 10 points and grabbed a career-high and team-high-tying seven rebounds. Senior All-OAC guard Shari Mangas (Leipsic) and junior forward Alissa Munro (Mansfield/ Lexington) chipped in nine points apiece.
In the first half, the Yellow Jackets opened the game on a 9-2 run that was capped by a layup by Clark at the 17:20 mark. BW used an 11-5 run to take a 20-7 lead on a layup by junior guard Janaya Feaster (Akron/ Archbishop Hoban) with just more than 12 minutes remaining in the first half. The Bisons came as close as 12 points at 25-13 on a three-pointer by Hayley Holenka at the 10:17 mark. BW pulled away the rest of the half and led by as many as 23 points at 40-17 and had a 44-22 halftime bulge.
In the second half, Bethany could not overcome its first half deficit and only got as close as 20 points to BW after a jump shot by Alexis Naples just 23 seconds into the half. The Yellow Jackets increased their lead to as many 39 points on two occasions with the last coming late in the second half.
The first day of the tournament featured a visit from, Mount St. Joseph freshman forward Lauren Hill, who is ill with cancer and whose cause to fight her disease has gained national acclaim. It resulted in a 69-64 victory by Bethany and included a basket by Hill that resulted in an ESPN Sportscenter highlight.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, November 23 when they close out the BW Invitational with a game against Buffalo State (N.Y.) University in the Ursprung Gymnasium at 2 p.m. Buffalo State, who could not travel to Berea for the first day of the invitational due to a winter storm, plays Mt. St. Joseph in today's second game at 4 pm.
