Women successfully defend Chase title

The Yellowjacket Women’s Basketball team successfully defended their JP Morgan-Chase Scholarship Tournament title with a 74-65 win over Roberts Wesleyan in the title game. For the first time in UR’s history, both the men and women’s basketball team won the Chase Tournament. The Yellowackets are now 14-0, two shy of matching their best start ever – a 16-0 mark reached in in 83-84.The Yellowjackets were led in scoring by Erika Smith with 19 points. Tara Carrozza and Kelly Wescott chipped in with 12 points apiece, while Wescott pulled down 14 rebounds for a double-double. Smith, Wescott and Carrozza were all named to the All-Tournament First Team.The game saw the tournament record for scoring by a single player go out the window, with Robers Wesleyan’s Jennifer Stuczynski scoring 27 in the game for a tournament total of 85 points. Stuczynski was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Roberts’ Judy Wright, who also had a double-double – 17 points, 10 rebounds – was named to the All-Tournament First Team, with Roberts’ Fallon Scott named to the All-Tournament Second Team.The first half was very close, with neither team able to grab a big advantage over the other. The Yellowjackets managed to secure a 5-point lead at the end of the second half on a jumper from Emily Bango. The second half started out slowly, but the Yellowjackets were able to get some momentum and build a solid double-digit lead that they maintained throughout the game, despite a strong offensive performance by Roberts Wesleyan.The Yellowjackets return to UAA action this weekend as they travel to Emory and Case Western Reserve. The next home game will be Friday, January 30 in the Palestra. TheYellowjackets hope to be 16-0 heading into the contest against the fifth-ranked Bears.Hickey can be reached at ehickey@campustimes.org.