ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The No. 7 Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season in style on Friday evening as it defeated Central College 65-39 in the semifinals of the 25th Annual McWilliams Classic.
WashU led in most offensive categories over the Dutch, including points off turnovers (17-6), bench points (21-12), points in the paint (30-22), rebounds (43-41), assists (18-4), and steals (9-4).
It was a quick start as the Bears scored the first seven points of the contest, as a layup from senior
Lexy Harris put WashU ahead 7-0 at the 7:40 mark of the first quarter. The Bears then doubled up once again to lead 14-2 on senior
Amelia Rosin's layup at 3:53.
First-year
Marycait Mackie made back-to-back jumpers for WashU to close out the first quarter as the Bears led 24-9 after the first 10 minutes.
WashU continued its strong offensive push and stingy defensive stance as it started the second quarter on a 13-0 run to take a 37-9 lead. Central eventually stopped the stretch with a free throw with 5:21 left in the half.
The Dutch scored six in a row before junior
Hope Drake hit a jumper with 40 seconds left before halftime. The Bears led 39-16 as the teams went to the locker room.
The third quarter was much more even as the teams traded points, with the Bears seeing their lead grow to as many as 30 on a tip-in layup from Harris at 6:59, 48-18. The Dutch responded by slowly chipping away at the WashU lead to pull back within 26 at the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter saw Central pull no closer than 23, 55-32, on a layup at 7:34. The Bears' defense proved too strong for a comeback as the Dutch could not add to the scoreboard in the final 2:16 and WashU secured the 65-39 win.
Senior
Alyssa Hughes led all scorers with 13 points. Harris finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Mackie reached double figures in her collegiate debut with 11, while adding five rebounds and five assists.
11 different Bears recorded a rebound, while 10 scored in the victory.
WashU will take on (RV) Wisconsin-Whitewater on Saturday, Nov. 7, in the McWilliams Classic championship game at 4 p.m. The consolation game will feature Central taking on Benedictine (Ill.) at 12 p.m. noon.
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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.
