The Middlebury women's basketball team manufactured runs of 8-0 and 10-2, slowly pulling away from Wheaton to post a 79-56 victory on Saturday during the Williams Shooting Touch Classic.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Tied at 8-8 near the midway point of the first quarter, the Panthers rattled off a 9-0 run covering 2:03 for a 17-8 advantage on a layup from Alexa Mustafaj.
• The Lyons gradually chipped away at the deficit, pulling to within three (21-18) on a basket by Tatum Young in the final seconds of the opening frame.
• Holding a 25-22 lead early in the second stanza, Middlebury tallied the next eight points capped by an old-fashioned three-point play by Bethany Lucey for a 33-22 edge with 6:23 remaining.
• The Panthers maintained their advantage, pushing it to 13 at the break (40-27) on a layup by Emily Downer.
• Following the break, Middlebury recorded a 10-2 spurt during the initial 2:29 of the frame for a 50-28 lead. Mustafaj had six points during the spurt, while Kale Tornwini tallied four.
• The Panther advantage increased to 25 (60-35) on a three-point field goal from Keeley Baglio with 2:17 left.
• Wheaton sliced into the lead, drawing to within 60-40 at the end of the third quarter on a pair of free throws by Kiki Waters, but Middlebury was never challenged in the final frame, cruising to the 79-56 triumph.

NOTES

• Mustafaj finished with a game-best 31 points, highlighted by a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. She has scored 20 or more points five times this season. Mustafaj moved into fourth place in the program's career history with 1,227 points.
• Tornwini (14 points, nine rebounds) and Augusta Dixon (13 points, eight boards) ended the contest as the Panthers held a decided 41-27 rebounding advantage.
• Katie Hollensteiner posted a career-best six points on a pair of threes.
• The programs met for the seventh time and the first since the 1996-97 season with Middlebury taking a 4-3 edge in the all-time series.

The Panthers return to action on Wednesday with a 5:30 p.m. contest at Plattsburgh State.