PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 5) – The Nichols College women's basketball team defeated Johnson & Wales, 70-60, Tuesday night at the Harborside Recreation and Athletic Center. The Bison close out the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 7-4 record, while the Wildcats fall to 4-8.

Nichols saw four players score in double digits, led by junior forward Jessica Nelson (No. Providence, R.I.), who scored 23 to go with 14 rebounds. Classmate Ashley Robidoux (Milford, Mass.) added 15, while senior guards Lyndsey Bennett (No. Brookfield, Mass.) and Alena Jasinski (Canton, Conn.) chipped in with 11 and 10 respectively.

Alexia Ramirez scored 23 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Morgan Wilson added 18 points.

Johnson & Wales led, 30-22, at the half and extended its lead to 13 just three minutes into the second stanza before Nichols mounted its comeback.

Bennett capped a 13-0 run over the next three minutes with a three-pointer to knot the game at 36-36, and the Bison kept rolling to lead by as many as 11 with 1:04 left, thanks in part to a 27-of-34 performance at the free-throw line (79.4%) in the second half after hitting one of six attempts in the first frame.

The Wildcats held the rebounding advantage, 42-39, and put in 10 second-chance points to the Bison's four.

Nichols starts The Commonwealth Coast Conference action Saturday afternoon at Roger Williams.

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