MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Senior captain Elsa Daulerio scored a game-high 20 points and the No. 12 nationally ranked Bates women's basketball team rallied from seven points down in the second half to prevail 62-56 over Central College at the Cruzin Classic on Thursday. 

Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) shot 10-12 from the field on her way to matching her season-high in scoring. She also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds in the victory. Sophomore Lily Brown (Dallas, Texas) added 13 points off the bench.

The Bobcats (7-1) found themselves down 35-28 with 6:35 left in the third quarter. Senior captain Ava James (Bethesda, Md.) got the rally started with a jumper and Daulerio followed after a Central turnover with a jumper of her own to trim the deficit to three. Senior Sophie Spolter (Blacklick, Ohio) hit a jumper in transition off a missed Central three and a steal by junior Mya Hicks (Ann Arbor, Mich.) set up Daulerio for another jumper to put the Bobcats ahead 36-35 with 4:34 left in the third. Another Daulerio jumper capped off the 10-0 run for Bates.

Bates led 44-42 through three quarters but Central (6-5) didn't back down, tying the game at 46 with 8:08 left in regulation on an Abby Bence layup. Daulerio stepped up again for Bates, hitting another shot with 7:53 left to put the Bobcats ahead for good. 

With the score 52-50 in favor of Bates, Spolter and James both hit three-pointers, upping the lead to eight with 4:25 remaining. Another bucket from Daulerio extended the advantage to 10 points with 3:23 left. 

Emily Naughton paced Central with 17 points on 6-11 shooting. She also dished out a game-high five assists, blocked two shots, and recorded three steals.

Central shot 41.8% from the field and held the Bobcats to 37.9% shooting. 

But rebounding proved to be the difference in the game. The Bobcats out-rebounded Central 48-28 and tallied 15 second chance points to just two second chance points for their opponents from Iowa. The game featured 10 ties and six lead changes.

The Bobcats are back in action at the Cruzin' Classic on Friday when they take on Emmanuel College at the Fernandez Family Center. Tip is set for 6 p.m.