Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 11, 2013 – The No. 3-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team scored nine of the final 13 points of the game to earn a 56-53 overtime win at Emory University Friday night in a battle of the top two teams in the University Athletic Association (UAA).
After playing to a 49-49 tie in regulation, Washington U. scored the first five points of the overtime period on a basket by sophomore forward Melissa Gilkey and a three-pointer on the baseline by sophomore guard Maddy Scheppers. The Bears kept their five-point lead after each team made 1-of-2 free throws. The Eagles cut the deficit to 55-53 on a three-pointer by Selena Castillo with 41.6 seconds left in overtime.
After a missed shot by the Bears, Castillo got another three-point attempt off with 16 seconds left but it bounced off the rim. After the Eagles secured the loose ball and called timeout, senior forward Kristin Anda got a steal and pushed the ball to Washington U.'s end before getting fouled with 2.7 seconds remaining. She missed the front end of the two-shot free-throw situation, but made the second to seal the 56-53 win for the Bears.
Sophomore guard Alyssa Johanson and freshman guard Katybeth Biewen combined for 17 of the Bears' 23 second-half points as Washington U. rallied from a 30-26 halftime deficit. After Emory took a 36-30 lead with 14:17 left in the second half, the Bears scored the next seven points, including five by Biewen to take their first lead since midway through the first half (13-12). The teams traded leads the remainder of the half, before a three-pointer by Castillo gave Emory a 49-47 lead with 1:51 left.
The Bears got the ball back with less than 40 seconds left in the second half. A jumper by Johanson missed the mark but junior forward Jordan Rettig grabbed the offensive rebound and made the putback to tie the game (49-49) with 12 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Washington U. shot 34.9 percent (22-63) from the field, while Emory finished with 29.2 percent (21-72) shooting in the game. The Eagles were just 1-of-8 from the field in overtime. The Bears outrebounded the Eagles 54-41 in the game, but were hampered by a season-high 29 turnovers which led to 21 points for Emory.
Johanson matched her career-high with 19 points, while Biewen finished one shy of her career-high with 12 points. Gilkey recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Anda added six points, a career-high 10 rebounds and a team-high three steals, while Rettig finished with two points and nine rebounds.
Washington U. (12-1, 2-0 UAA) continues its roadtrip Sunday, Jan. 13, at the University of Rochester. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. (ET) at the Palestra in Rochester, N.Y. Rochester defeated the University of Chicago 71-49 Friday night.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. leads the all-time series against Emory 42-6 … The Bears have an all-time UAA record of 299-46 (.867) … It was just the second time this season the Bears have trailed at halftime … Gilkey has scored in double-figures all 13 games this season, and the past 16 in a row … Gilkey surpassed 500 career points and 300 career rebounds in the game, and now has 506 points and 301 rebounds in her first two seasons at WU … The win brought Washington U.'s winning streak to 10 games, its longest since the Bears' 13-game win streak on their way to the 2010 National Championship.