New London — Mitchell College celebrated Jessica Shepherd Day on Tuesday.

At least that's what her teammates and coaching staff called Senior Day due to the fact that Shepherd was the only player honored during a pre-game ceremony.

It ended up being fitting given what transpired in a key New England Collegiate Conference women's basketball game against Newbury College.

Shepherd scored 14 of her team-high 19 points in the second half, including her 1,000th career point, and added eight rebounds to spark the Mariners to a hard-fought 64-59 victory and extend their season-high winning streak to six.

"It did wrap all together," Mitchell coach MaryLynn Skarzenski said. "It's always nice to score your one thousandth point when you win because you can actually celebrate it and for it to be on Senior Night and to have your family here. Basically, it's Jess Day is what we've been calling it.

"... So it was all about her today and she made it even more about her, which was awesome."

A modest Shepherd would surely cringe if she heard those words. She'd rather have a root canal than talk about herself.

"It's all a team effort," she said. "I couldn't do it without my team. They always catch me when I'm open."

Still, it must be nice to hit a career milestone on Senior Night and also get a win, right?

"I'm more excited about the win and hosting a playoff game," Shepherd said.

With the victory, Mitchell (11-13, 11-6) secured its hold on fourth place with one regular season game to go. The Mariners are close to clinching a home game in next week's NECC tournament. The top four teams earn the right to host.

That seemed like a highly unlikely scenario over a month ago. The Mariners were undergoing the typical growing pains that come with relying on so many young players. They had to replace six program foundation players from last year's team.

They eventually experienced a growth spurt and they're playing their best basketball, especially on the defensive end. Newbury (8-16, 8-9) shot just 31.5 percent from the field.

Mitchell maintained the lead for most of the tight game, taking a 27-25 advantage at halftime and 44-42 at the end of three quarters.

Shepherd, who graduated from Conard in West Hartford, jumpstarted a momentum-changing 10-2 run by burying an open 3-pointer from the top. It also was her 1,000th career point. Play was temporarily stopped to recognize her accomplishment.

A few minutes later, Shepherd, one of the top 3-point shooters in the conference, buried another one from beyond the arc. Freshman Allegra Jones chased down her own rebound and scored for a 54-44 edge with five minutes left.

"It just sparks the fire in you," Shepherd said about responding in a close game. "You're just focused on getting a bucket and executing the offense."

The Mariners showed poise down the stretch to close out the win. Clinging to a 59-57 lead, freshman Camille Staggers alertly made a nice bounce pass to a cutting Jones, her Hillhouse High School teammate, for a layup with 42 seconds remaining.

Jones finished with 12 points and nine rebounds and Staggers had three points and nine rebounds in important contributions off the bench.

"We're definitely playing with more grit and a sense of urgency at this point of the year," Skarzenski said. "The freshmen are growing up and getting the idea of college basketball, that every possession is a battle."

That brings us back to Shepherd.

The Mariners have needed her experience and leadership qualities more than ever this season. Shepherd's role has changed nearly every season.

Shepherd, who appeared in her 93rd career game, made timely plays on Tuesday

After converting just one-for-10 from the field in the first half, Shepherd went 6-for-9 after the break and finished 7-for-19. She also added three assists, three steals and block.

"She's meant everything to the program," Skarzenski said. "Jess has been here since my first year. She's not just a 1,000 point scorer, she's one of our hardest workers. She's been a leader since her freshman year. She's always willing to speak up and say the things that need to be said, even when people don't want to hear it.

"Sometimes she's seen as the bad guy, but she's really just doing what the team needs to be done. She's filled a multitude of different roles for us. .. This year, she's got to be our big time player."

g.keefe@theday.com