ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Picking up where it left off last weekend, the RV Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team saw 10 different players score in a 74-50 UAA win over visiting Brandeis on Friday evening in the Field House. The Bears improve to 13-4 overall this season while moving to 4-2 in the UAA.
Three WashU players scored in double figures and three recorded 10+ rebounds against the Judges. Sophomore Lexy Harris led the way with 17 points and 14 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Not far behind her was graduate Jessica Brooks who tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double so far this year.
Sophomore Catherine Goodwin reached her double-digits in scoring with 13 points adding four assists and three rebounds. Junior Nailah McBeth was the final Bear to see 10+ in rebounding with her 10 boards.
The Bears controlled the ball most of the contest, leading in several categories including rebounds (52-30), free throw (14-9), assists (9-7), points in the paint (48-18), and second chance points (18-6).
It was a quick start for WashU, which scored the first nine points of the game, capped by a layup from McBeth. The Judges did not score until there was just 6:51 left in the first quarter.
After the basket by Brandeis, the Bear answered with a quick 5-0 scoring run to go up by 12 on a three from sophomore Alyssa Hughes at 5:48. WashU would continue to extend its lead up to 19, 24-5 with 1:43 left in the period on a tip-in layup from senior Brenna Loftus. The Judges cut the lead down to 14 to start the second period, 24-10.
A three by Brandeis to start the second period cut the lead down to 11 before a 7-0 run by the Bears, started by a jumper from Hughes and finished with a three from Goodwin at 7:42.
The Judges would use the remaining time in the first half to slowly chip away at the lead, bringing it down to just six at the break on a last second shot, 34-28.
The quick break was just what the Bears needed as they would outscore Brandeis 18-13 in the third quarter. WashU's lead was cut down to just six, 30 seconds into the second half. Goodwin helped the Bears answer, wrapping up a 6-0 run to push the lead back up to 12.
The teams traded baskets the final five minutes of the quarter with the WashU lead dwindling down to seven at 1:57, 48-41. First-year Hope Drake made a pair of free throws with 1:08 left and a tip-in by Brooks with 36 seconds left in the quarter saw the Bears pushed their lead back up to 11 as the teams headed to the fourth.
Brandeis would not see a single digit deficit the rest of the way. They hit a three-pointer with 6:57 left in the contest and then a jumper to score their final points of the game. The Bears went on to score the final 12 points including a jumper and pair of free throws from Goodwin, a layup and free throw from Harris, a free throw from McBeth, and a pair of layups from first-year Emilee Travnicek.
The Bears defense held the Judges scored for the final 4:36 and held on for the 74-50 win.
WashU returns to the court on Sunday, Feb. 2 when it hosts No.1 NYU, who won 76-49 over Chicago tonight. The game is being recognized as National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Tip-off with the Violets is scheduled for 12 p.m.
