Campus Times Archive
In a clash between some of the best women’s basketball squads in the nation over the weekend, the UR team more than put up a fight, defeating the No. 7-ranked Washington University Bears, 72-70 before falling to No. 2 University of Chicago, 75-59. The Yellowjackets were visitors in both matchups.
After the Bears ran away with a 14-5 lead eight minutes in, the Yellowjackets responded with a 9-0 run that tied the score, 18-18. The visitors did not stop there, however, and relentlessly took control of the game by creating a healthy — but not quite — comfortable five-point lead (34-29) at halftime.
The Yellowjackets, ranked No. 5 and undefeated entering the game against Wash U, knew that despite their lead entering the second half, they could never count the Bears out, who stunned UR last year by battling back in the final minute to tie the score and force overtime. Wash U went on to win that game in double overtime and defeat UR for the 23rd time in as many meetings between the teams in the Wash U field house.
It came as no surprise, then, that the Bears attempted to stifle the Yellowjackets late yet again, closing a 12-point gap in an eight-minute span that left the teams tied with 5:32 to play. The two swapped blows for the following minutes, and it all added up to a 70-70 stalemate with 1:10 left.
Ultimately, however, the seasoned UR squad showed its experience over a younger Wash U lineup, as sophomore Danielle McNabb made a quick and critical steal and then fired the ball up-court to junior Jackie Walker, who, after missing the breakaway layup, secured the rebound and put the ball back up for the go-ahead score. The Yellowjackets’ defense proceeded to lock down the Bears for 19 more seconds, extinguishing any hope of yet another Wash U comeback.
Riding the thrilling air of confidence that any team would exhibit after besting a worthy foe — on their home turf for the first time in recent memory — the Yellowjackets strode into the Ratner Athletic Complex in Chicago, poised to tackle an even more daunting opponent in the No. 2 Maroons.
This endeavor, unfortunately, would end in heartbreak for the yellow and blue. After keeping the Maroons on their toes throughout the first half (the Yellowjackets shot .453 from the floor and were only behind by eight at halftime), Chicago’s Joanna Torres scored four points in the Maroons’ 8-0 run with 16:09 to play in the second half, putting the home team up by 13 (49-36).
Despite numerous attempts to mount a comeback, the Yellowjackets could claw to no closer than nine points off the Maroons’ total.
UR will see both Wash U and Chicago next week in games that will have significant say on the UAA title and, presumably, rankings in the NCAA postseason.
Bernstein is a member of the class of 2014.
