Box Score Dubuque, Iowa, Dec. 31, 2015 – The No. 7-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team had its eight-game win streak stopped in an 80-71 loss at Loras College Thursday afternoon in the non-conference finale.
Junior Zoe Vernon hit a three on WashU's first possession of the game, but the Duhawks held a 10-7 advantage after a basket with 4:05 to play in the quarter. WashU's defense held Loras without a field goal over the next seven minutes, and also forced turnovers on five straight possessions by the Duhawks as the Bears made a 7-0 run to take the lead.
WashU scored the first four points of the second quarter to extend the lead to 18-11 and force a timeout by Loras with 8:48 to play in the first half. The Duhawks made four straight free throws to pull to within 18-15 with 8:20 left in the second quarter. Loras continued to chip away at the lead, cutting the deficit to 20-19 before a three-pointer by sophomore Natalie Orr extended the lead back to four with 4:45 to play before halftime. Loras regained the lead at 26-25 with a 5-0 run. Orr hit with another three to give the Bears the lead back with 1:35 left, but the Duhawks answered with a three on their next possession to take a 29-28 lead into halftime.
The teams traded leads four times in the opening five minutes of the third quarter, with Loras gaining a 38-35 advantage with 4:38 to play. Junior Lily Sarros converted a three-point play to tie the game again with 4:16 left in the third quarter, but Loras scored the next eight points to take control. Orr made a jumper on WashU's to make the score 46-40 heading into the fourth quarter. A putback by freshman Steph Botkin and a basket by senior Jordan Thompson pulled WashU to within 48-44 with 8:52 left in the game, but the Duhawks scored the next five points to push the lead to double-digits. The closest the Bears could get the remainder of the game was seven as Loras had an answer every time WashU made a push.
Loras shot a season-high 57.1 percent (24-42) from the field and the Duhawks' six three-pointers was one shy of a season-high. WashU finished with 38.2 percent shooting (29-76) from the field, including 9-of-27 from three-point range. Loras was 26-of-30 from the free-throw line, while WashU converted four of its eight free-throw attempts. The Duhawks also finished with a 32-20 advantage in points in the paint, and both teams finished with 34 rebounds.
Orr scored a career-high 18 points off the bench, including four three-pointers, to lead WashU. Thompson added 13 points and a season-high seven assists, while Sarros just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. Botkin added eight points and four rebounds off the bench for the Bears.
WashU dropped to 9-2 with the loss, while Loras improved to 6-4. The Bears return to action with their University Athletic Association (UAA) opener Saturday, Jan. 9, against the University of Chicago. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the WU Field House.
Bear Notebook: WashU is 4-1 all-time against Loras … It was the first time this season the Bears have trailed at halftime … The Duhawks entered the game ranked fourth in NCAA Division III with a +15.1 rebounding margin … Thompson moved into a tie for ninth with Sara Ettner (1997-2001) on WashU's all-time career three-pointers list with the 97th made three of her career.
