WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- No. 13 Bates women's basketball erased an early deficit and took control late, earning a 64–51 road win over Williams College Friday night at Chandler Athletic Center.

The Bobcats trailed 15–8 after one quarter and were held to 23.5 percent shooting in the opening 10 minutes, but cut the deficit to one (26-25) by halftime. Leading 44-42 after three, Bates walloped Williams, 20–9, in the fourth quarter to secure the runaway triumph.

Williams (9-10, 3-3 NESCAC) opened the initial period of the night with an 11-2 surge and held off the Bobcats heading into halftime after Bates closed the second quarter with back-to-back three-pointers (1:38, 0:51) from Sarah Hughes and two free throws by Sophie Spolter with eight ticks left before the break.

Bates took its first lead early in the third quarter (9:31) on an Ava James layup. The teams traded leads throughout the period before the Bobcats carried a two-point edge into the fourth. After Williams briefly regained the lead (45-44) on a Micah Walton (21 points) three-pointer at the 9:06 mark, Bates unleashed a commanding 16-2 surge, capped by a James three-pointer (2:41) to put the game out of reach.

Hughes led Bates with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Claire Gaetani tied a season-high with 14 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Spolter added 10 points as six Bobcats finished with at least seven in the victory. 

The garnet and white (17-2, 4-1 NESCAC) returns to play on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. NESCAC tilt at Middlebury College (11-8, 2-3 NESCAC).