Williams went on a big second-half run on its way to a 67-52 win over Middlebury Friday night in Pepin Gym. The Panthers (10-9, 2-3) return to action on Sunday at Hamilton, while the #25 Ephs (16-4, 4-2) hosts Bates next Friday.

In the first half, the contest went back and forth with neither team able to extend a lead beyond four points. A jumper by Williams' Ellen Cook with 1:48 remaining was the eighth tie of the first half at 31-31. Back-to-back steals and buckets by Cook, put the Ephs up 35-31 before Middlebury's Alexis Coolidge hit a late jumper to make it a 35-33 game at the half.

Williams came out firing in the second half, going on a 12-0 run to take a 47-33 lead with 14:18 remaining. Five different players scored for the Ephs during the surge, including a three from Kellie Macdonald to open the half. The run extended to 17-2 on a three from Devon Caveney with 12:55 on the clock, making it a 52-35 contest.

Williams owned its largest lead of the game (19) with 8:23 remaining on a bucket from Kristin Fechtelkotte before the Panthers battled back. Middlebury scored nine of the game's next 10 points, to come within 11 on a layup from Sarah Kaufman with 3:28 remaining. Baskets from Elizabeth Knox and Coolidge cut the deficit to single digits at 61-52 with 2:16 left to play. Williams sealed the game going 6-6 from the line in the final minutes to pick up the 67-52 win.

Middlebury had four players in double figures, led by 14 points and eight rebounds from Kaufman. Rachel Crews scored 13 on 3-5 shooting from long range, while Knox and Coolidge added 10 points apiece. Sabrina Weeks pulled down eight rebounds in the game.

Caveney paced the Ephs with 14 points, Cook added 13 with six helpers, while Amanni Fernandez scored 11. Williams connected on 21-28 (.750) free throws in the game, going 6-22 (.273) from behind the arc.