SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College women's basketball team scored the game's first 13 points to pick up the wire-to-wire victory, defeating Endicott 71-58 in the opening game of the Skidmore Invitational on Friday at the Williamson Sports Center.
 
This was the season opener for the Thoroughbreds. The Gulls fall to 0-2 on the season.
 
Forward Kelly Donnelly led the Thoroughbreds on offense, scoring 18 points on 8-for-17 shooting, while adding seven rebounds and two blocks. In her first game as a Thoroughbred, forward Maja Stepanovic scored 13 points off the bench on 5-for-8 shooting from the field, adding a pair of rebounds. Guard Ari Fustini rounded out the double digit scoring for the Thorouhgbreds, adding 12 points, going 2-for-4 from beyond the arc.
 
Guard Hannah Shaw led the Gulls with 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field, adding a pair of rebounds. Guard Emily Pratt added nine points, while Catie Lipscomb added seven.
 
The Thoroughbreds won the battle in the paint, outrebounding Endicott 42-41, and picking up a 30-16 advantage in points in the paint. The Thoroughbreds rode a 57.1 percent first-half shot
percentage (16-for-28) to pull away in the victory.
 
The Thoroughbreds will host top-ranked Tufts on Saturday, while Endicott will take on Keene State to end the Invitational.
 
Tufts 60, Keene State 38
 
Tufts rode a 17-2 first quarter advantage, holding steady for the 60-38 victory over Keene State, in the nightcap of the Skidmore Invitational on Friday at the Williamson Sports Center.
 
The stingy Jumbos defense held the Owls to just 1-for-13 shooting in the opening quarter and 26 percent (13-for-50) in the contest. Tufts also enjoyed a 50-29 rebounding margin.
 
It was the season opener for Tufts, who entered the season as the preseason favorite, according to the D3hoops.com polls. Keene State dropped to 1-1 on the season.
 
Lauren Dillon led the Jumbos with 10 points on 2-for-5 shooting from the field, adding six rebounds as the lone double-digit scorer. Cailin Harrington, Sadie Otley, Katy Hicks, and Erica DeCandido each scored six points off the bench.
 
Jasmin Mitchell led the Owls and all scorers with 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field. Sandi Purcell added 10 points, grabbing a pair of rebounds.
 
Tufts will take on host Skidmore in the finale, while Keene State will take on Endicott in the matinee.