Rochester, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2016 – Three sophomores scored in double figures for the Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team, but the University of Rochester pulled away late in the second half for a 77-64 win over the Bears Friday night in University Athletic Association (UAA) action.
Sophomore Kevin Kucera scored a team-high 16 points, while adding five rebounds and four assists. Sophomore David Schmelter notched the first double-double of his career with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while shooting 6-of-9 from the field. Sophomore Andrew Sanders also scored in double figures with 11 points and eight rebounds for the Bears.
Three-point shooting proved to be the difference in the game as the Yellowjackets made 12 three-pointers to WashU's four. After leading by two at halftime, Rochester outscored WashU 13-4 in the opening five minutes of the second half, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, to extend the lead to 55-46 with 15:28 remaining. Kucera and sophomore Jake Knupp combined to score the next eight points for WashU as the Bears closed to within 56-54 on Knupp's three-pointer with 12:33 left.
Rochester got a basket and a pair of free throws to regain a six-point lead. After Schmelter hit a pair of free throws with 8:21 remaining to bring WashU to within 62-60, the Yellowjackets scored nine unanswered points to stretch the lead to double digits. Schmelter made a layup to cut the lead to nine (71-62), but that was as close as WashU could get as the Yellowjackets scored six of the final eight points of the game.
Rochester built a quick 7-0 lead to start the game, but Sanders got back-to-back baskets and a three-pointer by Kucera brought the Bears to within 9-7 with 14:55 to play in the first half. The Yellowjackets' second three of the game extended their lead to 17-12 with 12:43 remaining, but WashU scored the next seven points.
Sanders converted a three-point play after a steal Knupp, then senior Luke Silverman-Lloydmade a fastbreak layup and sophomore Matt Highsmith buried a jumper to give the Bears their first lead of the game at 19-17 with 10:31 to play in the first half. Rochester answered with an 8-0 run that included two three-pointers, but a three by junior Clinton Hooks and a layup by freshman Marcus Meyer brought WashU to within 25-24 with 6:32 left.
The teams traded baskets until a putback by Schmelter and a coast-to-coast layup by Kucera tied the game at 36-36 with 2:09 left in the opening half. The Yellowjackets made two more threes before halftime and headed to the locker room with a 42-40 lead.
WashU shot 45 percent from the field (27-60) in the game, while Rochester finished slightly better at 45.2 percent (28-62). The Bears were 4-of-15 (26. 7 percent) from three-point range, compared with 12-of-27 (44.4 percent) for Rochester. WashU finished with a 39-33 rebounding advantage in the game.
The Bears dropped to 10-9 overall and 2-6 in the UAA, while Rochester improved to 13-6 overall and 6-2 in the conference. WashU travels to Atlanta to take on Emory University at Noon (ET) Sunday. The Eagles (14-5, 7-1 UAA) remained in first place in the conference with a 61-53 win over No. 21 University of Chicago Friday.
Bear Notebook: WashU is 36-24 all-time against Rochester … Silverman-Lloyd hit a three-pointer in the first half that was the 130th triple of his career … It was Sanders' 15th double-digit scoring game this season, and Kucera's 10th … Schmelter is the fourth different WashU player to record a double-double this season ... Silverman-Lloyd has made at least one three-pointer in all 19 games this season.