ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The No. 18 Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team made a quick return from the holiday and traveled to the Sunshine State for a pair of neutral games. On Monday, the Bears took on Southern Virginia and picked up a win in their first ever meeting, 83-66.
The game took place on the campus of Eckerd College.
After a slow start to shake off the rust of not playing in 10 days, WashU showed why it is in the national rankings. The Bears led in points off turnovers (21-12), second chance points (14-12), bench points (25-3), points in the paint (44-20), and rebounds (41-32).
The first five minutes of the game saw WashU take control, building a lead of four at 7:03 on a pair of free throws by junior
Alyssa Hughes. However, the second half of the first quarter saw a reversal in favor of the Knights as they took the lead with a four-point advantage at 3:25. The teams went on to trade baskets for the rest of the period, with SVU leading by two after the first 10 minutes of action.
The Knights built their lead up to seven just a minute into the second quarter. However, the Bears responded and quickly began to chip away at their deficit, retaking the lead with 5:24 remaining in the half on a layup from junior
Catherine Goodwin. After a brief lead change, WashU once again regained the upper hand and built a six-point advantage on a layup from junior
Sidney Rogers with just 46 seconds left. A pair of free throws and a last-second three by SVU cut the lead down to just one as the teams headed to the locker room.
Both teams kept it close to start the second half as the score was tied three times in the first three and a half minutes of play. The Knights took their final lead of the contest on a free throw from an "and one" three-point play at 6:35. The Bears then held SVU scoreless for nearly four minutes while jumping back ahead by six on a free throw by junior
Sydney Starks at 3:20. An offensive rebound and tip-in by junior
Amelia Rosin at 1:14 gave WashU its biggest lead thus far in the game, 57-49.
The fourth quarter saw the Bears extend their lead to 13 within the first two minutes and lead by as many as 19 in the final minute on a three from sophomore
Hope Drake. A Knights jumper with 18 seconds left cut the lead down to 17, but WashU just inbounded the ball as the clock ran out on their 83-66 win.
Rosin's career high in points (17) and rebounds (10) allowed her to collect her first career double-double. She was one of four Bears in double figures, led by Hughes' 22 points. Junior
Lexy Harris (15 points) and Rogers (12 points) also reached double digits.
WashU returns to Eckerd College's court tomorrow when they take on another Virginia opponent, RV Christopher Newport. The Bears and Captains are scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 1 p.m. ET.
-------
Elevating scholar-champions requires resources beyond the institutional budget. Through the W Club, generous alumni, parents, and friends provide unrestricted support that is essential to the extraordinary WashU student-athlete experience—and the ongoing growth and development of the department. Annual support for Athletics allows the Bears to consistently rise to national levels of competition and ensures that our student-athletes enjoy exceptional opportunities as they train, compete, and lead. To make a gift to the Annual Fund for Athletics, please visit our secure online giving form or contact the Athletics Advancement Office at athletics@wustl.edu.
