With the win, Springfield’s record is raised to 8-9 overall, 4-3 in the NEWMAC. Smith falls to 1-16 overall, 0-6 in the conference. Springfield has now won four of its last five, while Smith has lost 12 in a row. SC jumped up one spot in the NEWMAC standings tonight, and is now in fifth place all alone in the 10-team league.
O’Connor, a 6-1 sophomore center from Valhalla, N.Y., had a fine game in recording her eighth double-double of the season. She also added four assists, two steals, and one block in 31 minutes of action. Two others for the Pride scored in double figures, senior guard Amanda Hill (Cheshire, Conn.) with 11 points in just 11 minutes (5-for-5 from the field), and sophomore forward Corey Finch (Hanover, Pa.) with 10 points. Finch was also credited with five rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
Junior guard Tara McCarthy (Bristol, R.I.) also added nine points, three assists, and three steals for the Pride.
For Smith, three players scored in double figures. They were senior forward/center Helena Charron (Portland, Me.) with 12 points, freshman guard Berit Schelde (Holstebro, Denmark) with 12 points, and sophomore guard Rosie Baldwin (So. Strafford, Conn.) with 11 points.
Springfield had the better of the team stats, out-rebounding the Pioneers, 35-30. SC also forced 24 Smith turnovers, while committing 18. The Pride shot .481 from the floor (25-of-52), while Smith shot just .347 (17-of-49).
The first half is where the game was really won and lost. SC shot .455 from the field in that stanza (15-of-33), while the Pioneers shot just .231 (6-of-26).
Springfield jumped out to leads of 8-0 in the first 1:36, and then expanded that to 19-2 in the first 7:35. O’Connor scored six of Springfield’s first eight points. When Hill scored a lay-up with 12:25 left in the half, SC had a 17-point margin. Springfield twice led by as many as 18 points in the first half – once with 1:58 left on a lay-up by junior guard Katie Castignetti (Braintree, Mass.) and again with 1:16 left on a jumper by Finch. That made the score 33-15.
Two free throws by Baldwin cut it to 16 at the intermission (33-17). O’Connor had scored 11 of her 12 in that half.
In the second half, SC led by as many as 28 points (60-32) when freshman guard Sara Roseen (Utica, N.Y.) scored her first collegiate point on a free throw with 3:08 left.
From there, Smith outscored Springfield, 12-3, the rest of the way.
Springfield next plays at Coast Guard, a team it has already beaten twice this season, Saturday (Jan. 27) at 3 pm. Smith next hosts Wellesley Saturday at 2 pm.