WORCESTER -- Alexa Charles (Tarrytown, NY) accounted for 35 of Hunter's 53 points to spark the visiting Hawks to a thrilling 54-53 victory over host WPI in the opening game of the 2025 WPI Winter Invitational played Tuesday afternoon inside Harrington Auditorium. 
 
The two-day, four-team tournament is utilizing a classic format with all four matchups predetermined.  In Tuesday's second game, nationally-ranked Bates defeated Roger Williams 65-44.
 
Charles, who entered the contest leading all three divisions of NCAA Basketball - women and men - in scoring at 32.6 points per game, notched 20 of her 35 points in the second half, while also leading all players on Tuesday in rebounding (11) and steals.  The senior, who shot 12-of-30 from field connected on 3-of-6 3-pointers and canned all eight of her free throw attempts, registered 12 of Hunter's 17 made field goals on the day.  Mia Fuller (Bronx, NY) and Kennedy DeRuy (Joplin, MO) each contributed five points for the Hawks with Fuller grabbing seven boards.
 
The Engineers saw three players reaching double figures in scoring with Emmy Allyn (Rutland, MA) leading the way with 12 points and Leila Nielsen (New York, NY) Ava Giansiracusa (Wethersfield, CT) both notching 10.  Megan Stone (Hanson, MA) led WPI's efforts on the glass with seven rebounds while Allison Fullem (Underhill, VT) chipped in with seven points and five rebounds and Giansiracusa doled out a game-high four assists.
 
The game was tight throughout with neither team leading by more than five points at any point.  Hunter had its five-point lead nearly midway through the fourth quarter before four straight points by WPI's the hosts back to within one at 45-44 with 5:07 to go.   Charles had a pair of conventional 3-point plays sandwiched around an Allyn trifecta for the Engineers before Nielsen drilled a 3-pointer of her own to get the hosts within one again at 51-50 with 2:02 remaining.  
 
The two teams then saw its defenses take center stage as both squads came up empty on their next two possessions before Charles calmly knocked down a pair of free throws to push the Hawks edge to three with 20.5 seconds remaining.  The Crimson and Gray called timeout, advanced the ball to mid-court and looked quicky for a game-tying three before Giansiracusa saw an opening and drove to the lane, hitting a layup with 12.6 seconds to go to make it 54-53.   After a pair of missed free throws by Hunter, the Engineers had a pair of chances to win the game in the finals three seconds but a layup in traffic and a desperate tip just before the final horn missed.
 
Rebounding proved to be a big difference in the game.  WPI out-rebounded Hunter 46-42, including 17-13 on the offensive glass but the Hawks enjoyed a 17-0 edge in second chance points.
 
In the second game, Bates only trailed for 22 seconds early in the contest before leading by 10 points after a quarter and then holding Roger Williams to just four second quart7er points on its way to a 35-16 halftime advantage.  Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, ME) led all players with 22 points and seven rebounds for the Bobcats while Claire Gaetani (Old Town, ME) added 12 points off the bench.  Sophia Coppola (Madison, CT) paced Roger Williams with 14 points and seven boards.  For the game Bates parlayed 21 Hawk miscues into 16 points off of turnovers.
 
The two-day WPI Winter Invitational concludes on Wednesday with a pair of contests.  Hunter and Bates tangle in the opener at 1pm while the host Engineers and Roger Williams square off at 3pm.