WORCESTER, Mass. -- Senior captain Elsa Daulerio earned Most Valuable Player honors at the WPI Winter Invitational and the No. 12 nationally ranked Bates women's basketball team capped off their undefeated showing at the tournament with a 73-37 win over Hunter College Wednesday afternoon. 

Junior Sarah Hughes (Rumson, N.J.) poured in a season-high 18 points on 6-9 shooting to pace the Bobcats (10-1) against the Hawks (8-4) in Wednesday's contest, joining Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) on the All-Tournament team. Hughes hit four of seven from three-point range, secured five rebounds, dished out a game-high six assists, and recorded three steals.

Bates never trailed against Hunter, turning in a season-best defensive performance to end 2025 on a high note. The Bobcats started the game on an 8-0 run, with junior Mya Hicks (Ann Arbor, Mich.) scoring five of their first eight points. 

Up 19-6 after the first quarter, Bates saw the lead trimmed to 19-10 on back-to-back buckets from Hunter's star guard Alexa Charles to start the second stanza. The Bobcats answered with vigor, going on a 13-0 run to put the game out of reach before halftime. Bates led 43-14 at the break and cruised to victory from there.

The Bobcats pulled down 60 rebounds on Wednesday compared to just 31 for the Hawks. Hicks led all players with a career-high 10 rebounds. She also finished with nine points on 4-8 shooting and a career-high five assists.

Sophomore Lily Lambo (Watertown, Mass.) joined Hughes in double figures scoring for Bates with 10 points on 5-8 shooting and eight rebounds. Daulerio capped off her MVP performance with nine points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals against Hunter after having poured in a season-high 22 points Tuesday against Roger Williams. 

The Bobcats held Hunter to 21.1 percent shooting on the afternoon and only three Hawks scored in the contest. Charles led all scorers with 26 points on 9-23 shooting, seven rebounds, and a game-high six steals. Makkedah Murray scored seven points on 2-6 shooting and Gianna Henriques finished with four points on 1-6 shooting.

Bates is back in action this Saturday when the Bobcats visit UMass Dartmouth for a 3 p.m. tip.