ST. LOUIS, Mo. – (RV) Wisconsin-Whitewater scored with 17 seconds left to escape with a win in the championship game of the 25th Annual McWilliams Classic over the No. 7 Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team on Saturday evening.
The Bears (1-1) led in second chance points (13-10), bench points (14-12), and assists (13-7).
It did not take long for the Bears to get on the board to start the game as senior
Lexy Harris scored a layup just eight seconds into the game. The lead grew to 5-1 as senior
Alyssa Hughes hit a three at 8:58. After the Warhawks got back within one at 7:56, 5-4, scoring would be at a premium for both teams as they traded three-pointers over the next five minutes with WashU still leading by one, 7-6, at 2:41.
The Warhawks then took their first lead and extended it to three at 1:19. Trailing by two as the period was winding down, WashU saw junior
Hope Drake hit a three from the top of the key with seven seconds left as the Bears led 12-11 after 10 minutes.
UW-Whitewater would slowly start to pull away to start the second quarter, eventually taking a seven-point lead, 27-20, with 5:11 left on the clock. Back-to-back layups from Harris and senior
Amelia Rosin got WashU within three, 27-24, at 2:36.
The Warhawks would push it back up slightly with a free throw with 14 seconds left before halftime as they led 30-26 going into the locker room.
UW-Whitewater held the Bears scoreless for the first three and a half minutes of the third quarter and scored five points of their own until Hughes hit a three with 6:26 on the clock, making it 35-29. WashU would chip its deficit down to just four on a layup from Rosin at 3:48, but a quick five-point run by the Warhawks put the lead back up to nine at 3:02.
Not going away, WashU, trailing 43-35 at 2:01, went on a 7-0 run including a tip-in basket by Harris with one second left in the period as UW-Whitewater led by only two, 43-41, at the end of the quarter.
It would not be long before the Bears regained the lead in the fourth quarter as a three-pointer from first-year
Marycait Mackie at 9:15 saw WashU take a 46-45 lead. Unfortunately, the Warhawks answered right back and saw their lead grow to as many as six with 1:49 left in the game.
A jumper from Harris, a free throw from Harris, and another three from Hughes tied the game at 56-56 with 46 seconds left. But it was the layup by Brooke Stenklyft with 17 seconds left that clinched the win, 58-56.
Harris finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Hughes followed with 14 points. Both seniors finished with a pair of blocks.
For their efforts at the 25th Annual McWilliams Classic, the following players were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Hailey Bachmann – Benedictine
CeCe Moore – Central
Lexy Harris – WashU
Alyssa Hughes – WashU
Brooke Stenklyft – UW-Whitewater
Mia Gillis (MVP) – UW-Whitewater
WashU has a quick turnaround as they travel to Elmhurst on Tuesday, Nov. 10 for a mid-day game. Tipoff with the Bluejays is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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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.
