CHICAGO – The University of Chicago used a 6-0 run in the last two-plus minutes of the fourth quarter to slip past the University of Rochester, 58-56, in a women's basketball game at the Ratner Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon.
Rochester entered the game ranked No. 7 by D3hoops.com and No. 9 by the WBCA. It was the second straight loss for the Yellowjackets (15-3 overall, 5-2 in the UAA). Rochester sits in third place in the UAA standings behind NYU and Washington, both at 6-1.
Al Leslie led Rochester with 22 points and 18 rebounds, but was the only Yellowjacket in double figures. Lauren Deming, Brynn Lauer, Kayla Kibling, and Sarah Kaminsky each scored eight points. All but two of Rochester's points came from the starters.
Elizabeth Nye led Chicago (12-6 overall, 4-3 UAA) with 13 points. Madison Dunbar scored 11, Olariche Obe had eight points and five rebounds. Britta Nordstrom had eight points and seven boards. Stephanie Anderson scored six points.
The final quarter was symbolic of the game. The first quarter ended at 16-16 when Chicago drove for a tying layup to beat the buzzer. It was 33-33 at halftime thanks to a 9-0 run by Rochester. At the start of the third quarter, the Yellowjackets extended that consecutive point-scoring streak to 18 by opening with a 9-0 run: a three-pointer from Kibling, a left wing jump from Deming, Lauer's fast break bucket from the right side and Deming's layup. That pushed Rochester in front, 42-33.
After a driving layup by Kelsey Hurley midway through the period, Rochester went scoreless. Chicago took advantage of six consecutive personal fouls against Rochester plus a technical foul. The Maroon shooters made four of the seven free throw attempts. Dunbar and Anderson had layups as well. It was 44-all heading into the fourth.
Leslie got Rochester off to a good start in the fourth, making back to back layups. Chicago, with four players making either layups or short jumpers, pulled in front, 52-50, on a layup by Obi. Leslie sank two free throws, then scored on a putback to get Rochester in front. Deming's 12 footer off the break made it 56-52 with 2:40 to go.
Caitlin Moore hit a runner in the lane, trimming the deficit to two points. Dunbar stole an out let pass after the UR defense held off a Chicago rush. Dunbar drove for a layup to tie it. The Yellowjackets didn't score at the other end and Anderson scored what turned out to be the gamewinner on a layup in the final 35 seconds.
UR turned the ball over on a walk but got it right back when Nye was called for an offensive foul with 22 seconds left. With the lane packed in tight and the ball under heavy pressure, the pass went to Leslie just to the right of the foul line. Her jumper from there rolled around the rim and fell off – into Nye's hands with 8.4 seconds left. Rochester tried fouling, but the Yellowjackets didn't have enough time to get Chicago to the line.
Rochester is home for the next two weekends and three of the last five as the second part of the UAA season has arrived. UR will host Washington on Friday night, Chicago on Super Bowl Sunday, then Brandeis (February 12) and NYU (February 14) the following weekend.