ATLANTA, Ga. - After holding No. 19 Emory University to a three-point percentage of just 22.2% and behind double-digit scoring totals from senior
Jessica Brooks, first year
Sidney Rogers, and first year
Lexy Harris, the Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team took down Emory, 72-61, Friday, February 9. The win pushed WashU's University Athletic Association win streak to six and improved WashU's road record to 7-1 on the year. The win also marked head coach
Randi Henderson's 100th career victory at WashU.
With the momentum shifting league victory, the Bears' record jumped to 14-7 (7-3 UAA), while No. 19 Emory's record slipped to 16-5 (6-4 UAA).
Brooks assembled a game-high 18 points in the win. Brooks polished off her fourth double-double of the year with a game-high 11 boards. Brooks connected on 6-of-14 from the floor and drilled 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
Rogers earned 16 points, three rebounds, and one assist for the Bears. Rogers finished the contest shooting 6-of-12 from the floor.
Harris added 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Just like Rogers, Harris shot 6-of-12 from the floor.
As a team, WashU shot 28-for-55 (50.9%) from the floor, 12-for-15 (80.0%) from the free throw line, and 4-for-10 (40.0%) from distance.
The Bears defense held the potent Emory offense to just a field goal percentage of 40.0% (24-of-60) and a three-point percentage of 22.2% (4-of-18).
WashU registered the sizeable, 48-28, advantage in points in the paint. Additionally, the Bears turned 12 offensive rebounds into 13 second chance points.
The opening quarter saw back-and-forth action, with no team leading by more than four. Midway through the first, the Bears connected on two straight layups to grab the 10-6 advantage with 4:38 left.
With the score knotted at 17-17, Rogers beat the buzzer as the Bears took the slim, 19-17, lead into the second stanza.
After some adjustments from head coach
Randi Henderson, WashU opened the second quarter on an 8-0 run to snag the double-digit, 27-17, cushion with 8:02 left until halftime. The run saw four points from Goodwin, two from junior
Brenna Loftus, and two from Harris.
The Eagles hit a layup to end the run. Following the EU layup, Starks sunk a three to push the Bears ahead by 11, 30-19.
After a Brooks defensive rebound, Rogers pushed the ball down the court and welcomed an and-one as the Bears posted a 14-point, 33-19, lead with 5:34 left in the second.
The Eagles then turned in a six-point run to trim WashU's lead to eight, 33-25.
With the second quarter winding down, the Bears recorded an eight-point to extend its lead to 16, 41-25. The run was highlighted by six straight points from Brooks.
With just two ticks left until halftime, Emory nailed a jumper to put the halftime score at 41-27, in favor of WashU.
Emory began the third quarter on seven-point run to cut WashU's lead to seven, 41-34.
After a WashU miscue, the Eagles put two points on the board as the Bears saw its lead shrink to three, 46-43, with 5:47 remaining in the third.
However, Harris answered with a tough and-one to give WashU some breathing room, 49-43.
In the span of 20 seconds, the Eagles drained four straight free throws as the Bears advantage was trimmed to two, 49-47.
The Bears ended the third quarter on a 5-0 run to earn the seven-point, 54-47, lead going into the fourth.
In the fourth, WashU recorded another eight-point run to widen the lead to 13, 62-49. Brooks tallied six points in the run.
After holding a double-digit lead for the majority of the fourth quarter, Emory went on a four-point run to put WashU's lead back down to single digits, 68-61, with just 1:04 left in the contest.
The Eagles sent up a barrage of threes, but Harris and Brooks each stepped up to the line and sunk free throws to put the game in hand as WashU took down the 19th-ranked Eagles, 72-61.
The Bears will conclude their 2023-24 road portion of its regular season slate in New York, Sunday, February 11 with a bout against University of Rochester. Tip-off from Louis Alexander Palestra is slated for 2 p.m. ET.
