ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The No. 18 Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team opened the 2024-25 season with a 78-58 win over Edgewood in an opening round game of the Hyatt Place Tournament hosted by Augustana.
The Bears led by 11 at the half and saw that lead extend to 20 by the time the final horn sounded, giving the Bears a season-opening win. The victory also marked the first for new WashU head coach Lisa Stone, who took over the program before the season.
Sophomore, and reigning WBCA Rookie of the Year, Lexy Harris led all scorers with 27 points and eight rebounds. Classmate Sidney Rogers scored 18 points, including going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and three-of-four at the free throw line. Senior Jessica Brooks added 13 points to her career total and is now just nine points away from scoring her 1,000th point in her WashU career.
The Bears looked strong early after the scored was tied at 4-4. WashU went on an 8-0 run led by Harris' four points and Rogers' three points, as the Bears took the 12-4 lead.
A three-pointer by the Eagles with 4:32 left on the clock in the first quarter got Edgewood back within six, but a pair of shots from Harris and Rogers extended the Bears' lead up to 10, 21-11. The final two minutes of the period saw Edgewood score six points, cutting the lead down to just four at the end of the quarter, 21-17. Har
The Bears shot 47.4 percent from the floor in the first quarter, making nine of 19 shots and holding the lead for 9:01.
The second quarter began with a three from senior Jessica Brooks and a layup from Harris, extending the WashU lead up to 28-17 with 7:29 on the clock. The teams would trade baskets, including layups and three-pointers until there was 4:02 left in the half.
Singular free throws by each team saw WashU maintain their 12-point advantage. A hook shot by Harris with 38 seconds remaining saw the Bears take their biggest lead of the game.
A late three by the Eagles cut the lead down to 11 as the teams headed into the locker room at the half.
The talk the Eagles got at the half saw them come out of the intermission with a drive. Edgewood opened the third quarter on a 15-6 run that cut the WashU lead down to just two with 6:04 left in the period.
A pair of jumpers by Rogers and first-year Ava Blagojevich put the lead back to six with 5:13 on the clock. Leading 49-46, the Bears went on a 10-0 run over the final two minutes of the period with sophomore Amelia Rosin starting off with a three-pointer followed by one from Harris. Rogers drove the lane before Rosin closed out the scoring in the third with a layup with just one second on the clock.
Trailing by 13 to start the fourth, Edgewood hit a three to get back within 10, scoring the period's first points at 8:27 left in the game. A pull up jumper with 7:47 on the clock by Brooks saw Edgewood call a timeout.
With the lead back at 10, a pair of layups from sophomore Catherine Goodwin and Harris and a three-pointer from Rogers saw the WashU lead extend to 17 with 6:01 left in the quarter.
After a layup by the Eagles, another large run by WashU, this one at 8-0, saw the Bears extend their lead to the largest in the game at 23. A layup at the buzzer saw the Eagles bring the final score back down to 20 at 78-58.
The Bears are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 16 when they take on St. Mary's (Ind.) in the championship game of the Hyatt Place Tournament. Tip-off with the Belles is scheduled for 4 p.m.
