Maya Arnott posted a double-double in WashU's home win over No. 10 Chicago on Saturday. Washington U. athletics file photo

Washington U. handed UAA travel partner Chicago its first loss of the season while No. 22 Trinity (Conn.) and No. 24 Mary Hardin-Baylor rallied to victory in the fourth quarter on Saturday afternoon. 

• Saturday scoreboard: Men | Women
• More headlines: Men | Women
• Team of Week: A Cobber, a Carpenter and two All-Americans

Washington U. hosted travel partner and 10th ranked Chicago, and then the Bears sent the Maroons home with their first loss, 68-49. WashU outrebounded Chicago 55-28 and held the Maroons to just 18 field goals.  Maya Arnott led four starters who scored double digits for Washington U (8-4, 1-0 UAA) with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Farther north, No. 1 New York University started its conference season by going to Massachusetts and thumping Brandeis, 78-46. The Violets jumped out to a 49-21 lead at the half and coasted from there. Natalie Bruns filled the stat sheet with 15 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals for NYU (11-0, 1-0 UAA).

No. 12 Rochester got 42 points, 23 rebounds and 13 assists combined from Katie Titus and Callie McCulley, and the Yellowjackets zipped past Emory in Atlanta, 75-66. The key stretch came midway through the third period when Titus’ layup keyed a 10-2 run that put Rochester ahead 53-41. Emory couldn’t get closer than seven points in the final period.

No. 22 Trinity (Conn.) rallied past No. 25 Bowdoin, 49-43, in a showdown between ranked NESCAC title hopefuls. Bowdoin held a 41-31 lead entering the fourth quarter when the Bantams clamped down on defense and got consecutive three-pointers from Theresa Twardosky and Emma Wax to cut the deficit to two. After Sela Kay scored Bowdoin’s lone field goal of the quarter, Wax scored four straight and then Reilly Campbell put the Bantams in front, 45-43. Bowdoin went 1 for 13 in the fourth quarter and didn’t score for the final six minutes.

No. 24 Mary Hardin-Baylor closed the game on a 7-0 run and rallied past Texas-Dallas, 53-49. Kyra Samuels made three free throws in consecutive possessions to give the Comets a 49-46 lead with 3:24 to play. The Crusaders took control from there, and Arieona Rosborough’s layup put Mary Hardin-Baylor in front with 24 seconds. Rosborough finished one rebound shy of a double-double (16 points, nine rebounds) for Mary Hardin-Baylor (10-3, 5-1 ASC).

Middlebury ended one long streak today and may end another on Monday by beating No. 15 Amherst, 47-45. The Panthers sprinted out to an 18-7 lead after one period, lost the lead entering the fourth, and then regained it on Gabby Stuart’s jumper with 29 seconds left. Amherst turned the ball over on its next possession, the Mammoths’ 23rd of the game, and the Panthers were able to run out the clock. Middlebury’s win is its first in 19 tries against Amherst. The Mammoths (10-3, 1-1 NESCAC) have been nationally ranked 207 times in a row, excluding the COVID season. The next Top 25 poll will be released on Monday evening.

The NEWMAC doesn’t begin conference play until next weekend but, in a matchup of title contenders, No. 8 Smith defeated No. 18 Springfield, 64-50. After a 25-all tie at the half, Smith held Springfield to just two field goals and outscored the Pride by 14. The Pioneers went 4-for-4 from behind the arc in that period and made nine 3-pzointers in the game. Morgan Morrison posted a double-double (21 points, 15 rebounds) for Smith (12-1), which played without All-American Katelyn Pickunka. The teams will again at Springfield in February.

Last season, UW-Whitewater won the WIAC regular season title, UW-Eau Claire won the tournament and the Most Outstanding Player award was split between Warhawks forward Aleah Grundahl and Blugold guard Jessie Ruden. On Saturday, those teams and players met again, and UW-Whitewater prevailed.

Aleah Grundahl racked up 17 points and three more Warhawks starters also scored double figures, as No. 17 UW-Whitewater defeated No. 9 UW-Eau Claire, 79-69. After a close first half, UW-Whitewater (12-3, 3-1 WIAC) outscored the Blugolds by 10 in the third quarter and that ended up the difference. Ruden was held to eight points on 3-for-11 shooting in 39 minutes for UW-Eau Claire (12-3, 3-1 WIAC). 

All-American Bridget Monaghan scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and No. 6 Scranton defeated Catholic, 71-61, for its 13th win in a row. The Lady Royals shot 47 percent from three (7 for 15) while Catholic was just 3 for 16. Maddy Ryan added 16 points and nine boards for Scranton (13-0, 2-0 Landmark).

No. 23 Puget Sound shook off a rough first half and defeated Willamette, 81-75, to keep its conference record spotless. The Bearcats led 49-25 at the break, but the Loggers scored 56 points in the second half. Samantha Swartout led Puget Sound (11-2, 4-0 NWC) with 18 points, and Katie Minnehan added 17 points and 5 steals.

St. Olaf surprised Bethel, 47-42, ending the Oles' 15-game losing sterak to the Royals that dates back to 2014. Rachel Kelly scored 21 points for St. Olaf (5-6, 2-6 MIAC) which held Bethel to 25 percent shooting (16 for 64). That result coupled with Hamline's loss and wins by Gustavus Adolphus, St. Benedict, and St. Catherine creates a five-way tie for first in the MIAC standings.

Grinnell got some hot three-point shooting and kept Lawrence scoreless from long range as the Pioneers avenged a December loss and rolled past the Vikings, 75-46. Grinnell connected on 11 of 25 from beyond the arc, with Kelsey Erickson and Elena Friedman each hitting three three-pointers off the bench. The win stretched Grinnell's home winning streak against Lawrence to 14 games dating to 2006.

Marymount got 29 points from Chandler Eddleton, and the Saints continued their dominance in the AEC with a 65-56 overtime win over Gwynedd-Mercy. Marymount (12-2, 2-0 AEC) has gone 35-3 in the AEC regular season since the conference began play in 2018-19.

Stevenson converted 24 Albright turnovers into 22 points, and the Mustangs topped the Lions, 64-51. Laci Johnson posted a career-high 26 points with four three-pointers for Stevenson (5-8, 4-1 MACC), which remains one-half game back of conference leader Messiah. 

The battle of NCAC Tigers went to Wittenberg, as the Tigers from Springfield, Ohio knocked off the DePauw Tigers, 64-53. Kelsey Ragan scored all of her 10 points in the third quarter and Taryn Cash scored most of her 16 points in the fourth quarter for Wittenberg (10-3, 2-0 NCAC).