The Middlebury women's basketball team eased to a 53-29 victory over Skidmore in its second game of the week. The Panthers utilized a 13-1 run in the second quarter and never looked back, securing their second-straight win. The team closes out first-semester action at home on Sunday against Union.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Thoroughbreds jumped out to a 4-0 edge over the initial 54 seconds, but Middlebury answered and tied the contest at four points apiece.
• Skidmore's Emmy Plage converted a pair of free throws and a layup to give the hosts an 8-4 lead with 4:53 left on the clock.
• The Panthers had a 4-0 burst of their own to knot the contest at 8-8, but a layup from Kate McCarney gave Skidmore a 10-8 edge after one quarter of action.
• Middlebury came out strong in the second stanza, tallying 13 points and allowing just one charity toss over the 10-minute session. Augusta Dixon recorded six points during the span, giving the Panthers a double-digit advantage (21-11) at the break. 
• Alexa Mustafaj sank a three-pointer just 18 seconds into the third quarter to keep the Middlebury momentum going.
• The Thoroughbreds put together a 4-0 spurt, cutting the deficit back down to single digits (24-15) with 8:18 remaining in the stanza.
• The Panthers responded with a 15-5 run to close out the quarter. Gabby Stuart tallied three shots from beyond the arc during the span, capping the stanza with a layup for the 39-20 advantage. 
• Middlebury's Mustafaj did not let up in the final frame, posting 10 points en route to the 53-29 triumph. 

NOTES

• Dixon shot 4-5 from the floor, registering eight points and leading all players with 10 boards.
• Mustafaj eclipsed the 20-point plateau (23) for the 20th time in her career and was a perfect six-for-six from the charity stripe.
• The Panthers were a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. 
• Tonight's contest was the 44th between the teams, with Middlebury owning a 28-16 record in the series.