AMHERST, MA. – Mammoths Head Coach G.P. Gromacki recorded his 600^th career win as the Amherst College women's basketball team brought their win streak to five with a 58-48 win over Connecticut College.

Gromacki earned his 600th win in fewer games (686) than any coach in NCAA basketball history. That includes any men's or women's coach at any level of college basketball, besting Hope College's Brian Morehouse, who needed 690 games. Gromacki joined Amherst in 2007 after coaching at Saint Lawrence University for six seasons and notching 143 wins, before going 437-48 in his 17 seasons at the helm for the Mammoths.  He has piloted the Mammoths to eight NESCAC championships, three national championships (2011, 2017, 2018), and perfect seasons in 2017 and 2018. He is a two-time WBCA National Coach of the Year (09-10, 16-17), five-time D3Hoops.com New England Coach of the Year, six-time NESCAC Coach of the Year, and has coached three NCAA DIII Players of the Year (2011, 2012, 2017).
 
"It means we had a lot of good players and people that cared about competing and being part of a great program," Gromacki said. "Hats off to everybody that's come through here. You know, it's all about the team. It's not about me or any individual and I think when we stress that, we get the wins, so I'm just proud on Senior Night. The seniors, you know, kept that streak going for them and just really excited about where we are right now.

"It hasn't sunk in. Credit, again, a lot of people that helped me get where I'm at, from the administration at the two other schools that I coached at in Division III, obviously the support I get here. I'm just really fortunate. Faith, God's always there and I'm just thankful where I'm at and it's just a lot of people helping me, it's definitely not myself."

With the victory, the Mammoths improved to 18-4 on the season, and 5-3 in the NESCAC. They will hit the road for the final time during the regular season next weekend, traveling to face Colby on Friday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. With the loss, the Camels dropped to 5-15 this season. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* Prior to the game, the Mammoths celebrated the careers of three senior student-athletes -- guard Reeya Patel, and forwards Nicole Stanford and Abbey Skinner. In three seasons, their class has an overall record of 60-16, and has won the Little Three title three times. They also made NESCAC championship game and final four appearances during the 2021-22 season.

* The Mammoths took a 4-0 lead early in the contest with an early transition layup by Laura Mendell and two Sylvia Liddle free throws. However, the Camels quickly tied the game at 4-apiece, and the rest of the quarter proceeded in back-and-forth fashion, with the teams heading into the second tied at 8-8.
 
* Although Conn. Came out firing in the second frame, going up four early at 14-10 before the Mammoths went on a 10-1 run to go up by five. Anna Tranum and Patel led the Mammoths back in front, both hitting a mid-range jumper and a three-pointer to put them up by three before Kori Barach hit a layup to cap off the run. The Camels came back with a run of their own, narrowing the lead to one before the halftime horn. The Mammoths went into the locker room up 22-21.

* Coming out of halftime, the game followed a very similar pattern to the one established in the second quarter. This time is was the Mammoths jumping out to a four point lead before the Camels hit two three pointers to go up two. Maya Cwalina tied the game at the rack with a baby hook and then got the board and the bucket off a missed free throw to put the Mammoths up three, 30-27 with just under six minutes to go.

* With the Mammoths down one with two minutes remaining in the third, Patel again came up big to swing the momentum once again. She nailed a corner three off a kick-out from Cwalina to put the Mammoths up two before Brooke Ingemi drilled another on their next offensive possession to give the home side a 41-37 advantage heading into the final quarter.
 
* The teams traded buckets to begin the final quarter, with Amherst maintaining their four-point advantage with help from a small-ball lineup and more mid-range sharpshooting from Patel. A Barach three gave the Mammoths their largest lead of the night so far, with the score standing at 50-41 with 4:30 remaining.  
 
* The Mammoths held a seven-point lead with 1:05 to go before Barach converted a contested lefty layup as the shot clock expired to put them back up nine. Liddle got her second block of the night and Barach, Patel, and Stanford converted at the line to ice the game and give the Mammoths a 58-48 win.
 

 
BY THE NUMBERS:

* Barach led the team in scoring once again with 16 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. She was closely followed by Patel, who poured in 14 points of her own. Anna Tranum scored 11 points to round out the Mammoths' double-digit scorers.  
 
* Four Mammoths went 50 percent or better from the field against the Camels: Patel (55.6%), Barach (50%) Tranum (50%) and Ingemi (50%). Patel also went 2-3 from the three point line on the night.

* Both Liddle and Cwalina notched multiple blocks in the game, with 2 and 3, respectively.