NEW LONDON, Conn.—Willa McKinley (Westport, N.Y.) poured in a game-high 17 points, logging a full 40 minutes of action,  to lead the 24^th ranked Connecticut College women's basketball team to a 71-61 NESCAC victory against intrastate rival Wesleyan University at Luce Field House Saturday.

McKinley was 6-for-12 from the field and 3-for-7 from long distance.

The Camels improved their record to 15-3 and are 5-2 in NESCAC play. The Cardinals fell to 7-12 and are 1-6 in conference action.

Natalia Baum (West Springfield, Mass.) and Mairead Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y.) chipped in with 11 points each for the winning side. Baum was 5-for-9 from the field while Hynes converted 7-of-10 shots at the foul line. Payton Ouimette (Medfield, Mass.) and Kylie Caouette (Ashburnham, Mass.) reached double digits with 10 points each. Ouimette had eight rebounds and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the charity stripe while Caouette knocked down 2-of-4 shots from three-point distance.

Meg Corcoran (Milton, Mass.) hauled in a team-best nine rebounds to go with her five points in 23 minutes of productive play off of the Camel bench.  Connecticut College was 13-for-16 from the foul line in the second half and 19-for-24 at the line in the contest. The hosts enjoyed a 46-34 advantage on the backboards.

"We were really proud of how our team executed down the stretch this afternoon," Connecticut College Head Women's Basketball Coach Brian Wilson said.  "We made the plays we needed to make on both ends of the floor.  I thought we were a little flat in the first half but really responded late in the game."

Wesleyan University senior forward Kaylie Williams (Danville, Calif.) posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Sophomore forward Maddie Bledsoe (Newton, Mass.) reached double figures with 10 points, shooting 5-for-8 from the field in the setback.

The Camels built an 11-10 lead after one quarter and carried a 27-23 lead into the break. But in the third quarter, the hosts found some breathing room when McKinley buried a trey from the baseline to make it a 39-29 game with 5:17 to play. Corcoran did her job at both ends of the floor and put back an offensive board with 4:21 left in the third that provided the hosts with a 41-30 advantage. But Wesleyan closed out the quarter with an 8-2 run. Olivia Gorman (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) put in a lay-up with 12 seconds left and the Camel lead was trimmed to 46-41after three quarters of play.

Wesleyan continued to scrap and a Williams three-ball trimmed the deficit to 48-46 with 8:46 to go. But the Camels depth proved to be the difference and the hosts mounted a 6-0 run to pull away from the Cardinals down the stretch. Corcoran sparked the rally with a nice pass to McKinley for a 16 foot jumper with 5:26 to go. Then, Caroline Pangallo (Fairfield, Conn.) dished out one of her four assists to Ouimette for an easy hoop on the block before Hines closed out the run with a pair of free throws at the 4:16 mark to put the hosts in control with a 61-52 lead.

Wesleyan cut the deficit to five on two different occasions in the final minute of regulation but the Camels were able to hold on for the 71-61 win.