DUDLEY, Mass. (12/13/2025) – The Nichols women's basketball team made the most of their opportunities in the first quarter of their non-conference tilt with Westfield State on Saturday, lifting them to a 77-62 victory over the Owls inside the Nichols Athletic Center.

The Bison, who now have wins in back-to-back contests, improve to 7-4 (1-2 CNE) overall. Westfield State, with the loss, drops to 7-3 on the season.

Senior guard Alyvia Smith led the way for Nichols with 23 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals. Graduate student Summer Klein joined her in double figures with 16 points, while also snagging a game-high six steals and hauling in six boards. Senior Kya Burdier led the rebounding effort, totaling a game-high seven boards to also tie her career-high mark. Nichols shot 25-of-62 (40.3%) from the field, while holding WSU to 23-of-65 (35.4%) shooting,

The Bison enjoyed some early domination from behind the arc, with Smith nailing three triples in the opening five minutes of play to give the home team a 13-6 edge. The three-point success continued with Klein hitting a long ball of her own at the 3:43 mark, uncorking a 12-0 Bison run to finish off the quarter. The same run would also end with another three, courtesy of freshman Jailyn Garvin-Martin with 11 seconds to go.

With a commanding 26-8 lead in hand after one, Nichols landed three more triples from Smith, Klein, and freshman Dakoda Correia sandwiched around a pair of Klein free throws, expanding the host lead to as many as 26 points. However, Westfield State ignited with 11 straight points in a 1:30 span, before a Tianna Fernandez layup ended Nichols' scoring drought with  just over 2:00 left to go in the half. The teams would trade baskets the rest of the quarter, with Fernandez also converting on two free throw attempts to send Nichols to the break leading 51-35.

Nichols weathered an early storm in the third quarter, as the Owls scored seven of the first 10 points to cut the deficit to 12 at 54-42. However, the Bison denied the guests any chances at closing the gap further, with eight consecutive points to re-up their lead to 21 points at 67-46, putting the game out of reach heading into the fourth quarter.

Despite some turnover trouble in the final period, Nichols would overcome a final Westfield State push to win the game, 77-62.

Nichols has just one game remaining ahead of the holiday break, with the team heading to non-conference Mitchell College (2-6) on Monday, December 15^th for a 1:00 PM tipoff.