New London - A few months went by in the recruiting process and Connecticut College women's basketball coach Brian Wilson hadn't heard from Mairead Hynes, a multi-dimensional 6-foot forward who was about to begin her senior year at Mahopac (N.Y.) High School.

"It was a little bit unorthodox," Wilson said with a laugh. "I kind of moved on with my life. Then around September, October of her senior year she called and told me she was still looking for that perfect fit. ... I think she called me and committed on Christmas Eve. It was a great Christmas present."

Now a freshman at Conn, Hynes is in her first season of the perfect fit.

She's averaging 17.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game for the Camels, who raised their record to 14-5 with Saturday's 74-47 victory over Bates. She has had double figures in points and rebounding in the same game eight times. She scored a career-high 36 points on Jan. 22 at Rhode Island College, reaching double digits in each of the last six games.

And she's been named the New England Small College Athletic Conference Player of the Week twice, the second time for her 36-point, 17-rebound performance at RIC.

Against Bates, she had 11 points and 11 rebounds with two steals, a block and no turnovers. Hynes came down the floor on the front of the break with the Camels leading by only five points at the time with 14 minutes remaining in the second half Saturday. She missed the shot but got her own rebound and was fouled.

The Camels who trailed 37-35 with 17:09 to play on a free throw by Bates' Nina Davenport, then launched a 25-0 run tied to a solid zone defense Wilson implemented for the second half, not allowing Bates to score again for nearly 11 minutes. Conn, led by 20 points from Liz Malman, is 4-2 in the NESCAC.

"In my family, we like to rebound because there's some days your shots are just never going to fall," Hynes said.

Hynes is one of five siblings, all of whom play basketball, as did their parents, Maryann and Kerril. She was a 1,000-point scorer at Mahopac, where her team achieved what she calls a career highlight by reaching the Section 1 championship game her senior year.

Hynes is the first of her brothers and sisters to play basketball in college, however, as sister Caitlin (Manhattan) and brother Brendan (2015 All-Southern Conference pick at Richmond) are both Division I lacrosse players.

Majoring in human development with an education certification, Hynes was also recruited by Trinity, Southern Connecticut, Post and Albright.

"I really liked the school, the academics. Coach is amazing," Hynes said of her visit to Conn, which convinced her to play for the Camels. "It's a small team and we all get along great. And it's only two hours away from home. ... It definitely was different coming here (to college). I'm getting used to teams where everyone's a shooter and then there's one huge kid."

"Mairead has made a phenomenal impact. At times this year she's been unguardable," said Wilson, whose team was 14-11 last year with a NESCAC quarterfinal berth. "We know we can throw it to her and she's going to get a great look every single time. It's kind of a nice security blanket."

Hynes isn't a typical forward, either. She can handle the ball (she had seven assists in her final career game in high school). And she defends.

"For a 6-footer she's got a phenomenal handle," Wilson said. "When I was recruiting her, I remember it like it was yesterday, she made a play in the open court behind her back. It's really something. She handles the ball well in small spaces. She's got a spin move both ways. ... The thing I think separates Mairead from other players is her basketball IQ."

After the well-rounded victory over Bates, with four players finishing in double figures Saturday, the Camels celebrated.

"Coach tells us, 'You're never going to get these games back. Play each game like it's the most important game you've ever had,'" Hynes said. "When anyone makes a big shot or anything, we always yell."

v.fulkerson@theday.com

Twitter: @vickieattheday