CHICOPEE, Mass. – A career-best 29-point performance from Maren McGinn (Georgia, Vt.) and 20 points from Haley Brewster (Virginia Beach, Va.) powered the Norwich University women's basketball team to a 62-57 win over the Elms College Blazers in a pivotal Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) showdown at Picknelly Arena on Thursday afternoon.

McGinn logged her stellar showing behind a near-perfect 13-17 clip from the floor, including a 3-3 mark on freebies.  Brewster dished out four helpers, while Rachel Botala (Grand Isle, Vt.) filled the stat-sheet with seven points, seven caroms, five assists, and two blocks.  Silas Bernier (Jaffrey, N.H.) rounded out the scoring with six points and a team-high eight rebounds.

After the Blazers' Rahmia Johnston knotted the game up at 3-all, the Cadets enjoyed a 10-2 run, employing a suffocating defense that held Elms to just eight points in the opening frame.  The Blazers were able to tie things up again in the second quarter, before a pair of baskets from Brewster in the closing minute gave Norwich a 28-25 lead at halftime.

Breaking a stretch that saw both teams trade baskets, Elms claimed its first lead on a free throw four minutes into third quarter.  McGinn came alive inside to help Norwich stay afloat, scoring six points in two minutes to create a 38-all tie.  The Blazers would embark on a 9-4 run heading into the fourth frame that would give them their largest lead of five.

Interior play would prove crucial in Norwich's comeback bid, as McGinn rallied for 11 of her 29 points in the final stanza.  A backbreaking trey from Brewster with two minutes left would seal the deal, as both her and Bernier would ice the game from the charity stripe to secure the Cadets' 62-57 victory.

Norwich feasted inside, largely courtesy of McGinn's showing, resulting in a 40-10 edge in points in the paint.  The Cadets also enjoyed advantages in points off turnovers (20-12) and second chance points (9-5), all the while maintaining a 42.4% clip from the floor.

Kayla Jackson led Elms offensively with 11 points and nine boards, while Brianna Metellus tallied 10 points.

The Cadets will look to keep their winning streak alive in their first home game of the 2023 calendar year on Saturday, hosting GNAC rival Emmanuel College (Mass.) in the closing game of a weekend doubleheader.  Tip-off in Andrews Hall is slated for 3:00 p.m.