BABSON PARK, Mass. –Junior forward Nicki Wurdeman (Rowley, Mass.) became just the 13th player in Babson College women's basketball history to score 1000 career points as she powered the nationally-ranked Beavers to a 67-35 victory over visiting Worcester State University in a non-conference matchup at Babson's Staake Gymnasium on Monday night. With the win, Babson, ranked 13th in the country by D3hoops.com, improved to 4-0 on the season, while the Lancers dipped to 3-2 on the year.
Entering her 64th collegiate game needing 17 points to reach 1000 for her career, Wurdeman scored 22 on 10-of-16 shooting from the field while also grabbing seven rebounds. The All-American's 1000th career point came on a lay-up from the left block off a nice drive and dish by fellow junior standout Kathleen King (Framingham, Mass.) with 17:34 left in the second half.
King, who will likely join her classmate in the 1000-point club later this winter, finished with eight points and four assists, while sophomore center Sarah Collins (Weymouth, Mass.) tacked on another monster game with 26 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocked shots while hitting 12 of 14 from the field. Sophomore point guard Allanah Wynn (Quincy, Mass.) chipped in with four assists and four boards for the Beavers, senior forward Damisi Adewumi (Bronx, N.Y.) contributed three steals and three caroms in just six minutes off the bench.
Worcester State was led by junior Kaleigh Charette (Fairhaven, Mass.), who scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Junior Molly Hein (Hudson, N.H.), sophomore Meaghan O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.), and sophomore Kara Rogers (Lowell, Mass.) each added six points apiece for the Lancers, while first-year Meaghan Burns (West Brookfield, Mass.) grabbed a team-high four rebounds.
Although Babson led throughout the contest, Worcester State stayed close in the early going, trailing by only three after a Charette jumper made it 15-12 with 13:37 left in the first half. However, the Beavers erupted for a 14-0 run over the next six and a half minutes to increase its advantage to 29-12 before taking a commanding 37-17 lead into the break. Wurdeman scored six points during the decisive run, giving her 14 points in the half, while King and Collins each added four points during the burst.
The Lancers would get no closer than 19 in the second half as Babon coasted to the 67-35 win.