SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Hamilton College's Emily Hall '24 dropped in 20 points and the Continentals coasted to a 67-49 victory against the Lewis & Clark College Pioneers in the 2023 University of California Santa Cruz December Classic at Kaiser Permanente Arena on Friday, Dec. 22.
 

Season Update

• Hamilton (11-1 overall) rebounded nicely after suffering its first loss this season – 61-60 against UC Santa Cruz – less than 24 hours prior to today's game.
• Lewis & Clark (1-8), which is 0-2 in the Northwest Conference, dropped its seventh straight game.

 

How It Happened

• The Pioneers jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the opening three minutes. The Continentals responded by scoring the next 17 points and led the rest of the afternoon.
• Courtney Shay '24 started the run with a jumper and Kendall Harris '27 hit another one on the next possession. Hall grabbed a defensive rebound and canned a jumper in the paint at the other end. Another jumper by Harris put Hamilton in front 11-10, Hall made a free throw, and Taylor Lambo '26 converted a layup and knocked down two free throws. Maria Mercado Rengel '24 completed a fast break with a layup and the Continentals led 18-10 at the end of the first quarter.
• A jumper by Hall on Hamilton's first possession of the second quarter gave the Continentals their first double-digit advantage. Lewis & Clark scored the next four points and pulled within 20-14, but Hamilton countered with an 11-2 spurt for a 15-point cushion midway through the quarter. Lambo started the run with two baskets and Hall ended it with a pair of baskets in the paint.
• Piper Seamon '24 beat the halftime buzzer with a jumper and the Continentals led 37-25 at the break. Hamilton was 15 of 32 (47 percent) from the floor in the first half.
• The Pioneers didn't get closer than nine points in the second half. The Continentals held a 53-40 after three quarters. A layup by Abigael Morin '25 gave Hamilton its largest lead of 20 points at 67-47 with 1:55 left in the fourth.

 

Notes

• Hall's 20 points are a season high as she was 8 of 11 from the field.
• Harris was named to the all-tournament team after she posted 13 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. The double-double is her sixth this season. Harris is fifth in the NESCAC with 15.2 points per game and third with 9.2 rebounds per game.
• Althea Hill '26 drained three 3-pointers and finished with 10 points. Hill also handed out three assists.
• Charlotte Carroll paced Lewis & Clark with 15 points, nine boards, two blocked shots and two steals.
• Karli Mukai and Natalie Elstone passed out three assists apiece.
• The Continentals owned a 49-36 advantage on the glass and had 16 assists on 24 made baskets.
• Hamilton made more free throws (15) than the Pioneers attempted (12).
• The Continentals entered the day 16^th in Division III in scoring defense with 49.2 points allowed per game, eighth in field goal percentage defense at 29.3 percent and 17^th in 3-point percentage defense at 20.9 percent. Lewis & Clark shot 29.2 percent overall and 21.1 percent from beyond the arc.

 

Next Game

Hamilton takes a two-week break for the holidays and gets back into action on Friday, Jan. 5 when the Continentals host Middlebury College (5-4) for their NESCAC season opener. Opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.