SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts- The American International College women's basketball team hosted Roberts Wesleyan College in a rare out-of-conference Saturday afternoon matchup. Despite a late push by the Yellow Jackets, the Redhawks took the game by a score of 83-75.

AIC's record now stands at 3-3 overall.

The two teams came out firing as they combined for 48 points in the first quarter, with the visiting squad holding a narrow 25-23 lead after ten minutes of play. In the second, however, the Redhawks dialed in, holding the Yellow Jackets under ten points in a quarter for just the third time this season-both previously by the University of Sciences-and powered their way to a 47-32 halftime edge on the strength of shooting 8-for-16 from beyond the arc.

Head Coach Kristen Hutchinson rallied the troops as they prepared for the second half. Both teams traded five baskets in the opening four minutes. As they were fighting back, the Yellow Jackets cut their deficit to eight on a pair of free throws from Dana Watts that made it a 53-45 game. After the Redhawks rebuilt their double digit lead, Alyssa Guyon knocked down a triple to make it an eight point game after 30 minutes of play.

With 8:43 left on the clock, Tanisha Moyer laid one up and made it a six point game. The Redhawks answered with back-to-back threes to extend their lead to 12, 71-59. Despite the pendulum of momentum swinging in favor of the Redhawks, Jayda Gilmore started a run with a layup. A couple of possessions later, Dana Watts knocked down a pair from the stripe to make it an eight point game.

On the next possession, Moyer pulled up from midrange and cut the Redhawk lead down to six. As the teams approached the halfway point of the fourth quarter, the Redhawks once-15 point lead was now down to single digits. Watts knocked down two more from the line and made it a two possession game, and on the following trip down the floor, Imani Stepney put a jumper through the net and made it a two point game. The Yellow Jackets tied the game with two ticks under a minute left, but the Redhawks knocked down free throws to take the game 83-75.

The Redhawks are the first team to hold Watts to under ten rebounds as she finished with eight rebounds, 30 points, and three assists. She was perfect from the charity stripe, shooting 10-for-10. Imani Stepney recorded her second straight double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jayda Gilmore beat her 14.7 ppg average as she put up 16 points with three assists in 32 minutes of play.

The Yellow Jackets return to action on Wednesday, November 30 when they travel to take on Pace University. Tip-off is scheduled to 5:30 p.m.