St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 2, 2017 – The No. 13-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team suffered an 85-77 loss to Austin College in the championship game of the 17th Annual McWilliams Classic Saturday at the WU Field House in St. Louis.
Austin's Bryce Frank had 30 points and 15 rebounds and was named the Jacqueline Bickel Schapp Most Valuable Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by junior forward Stephanie Botkin (WashU), junior forward Madeline Homoly (WashU), Keilani Ikehara (Pomona-Pitzer), Ann Savage (Austin) and Jada Triplett (Oglethorpe).
Austin improved to 4-4 with the win, while WashU had its three-game win streak snapped and fell to 4-2.
The Bears jumped out in front 12-3 in the opening seven minutes, limiting the Kangaroos to 1-of-11 shooting from the field. Junior guard Becca Clark-Callender nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bears a 17-7 lead.
The lead grew to 26-14 with 5:41 before the half following a three-pointer by Botkin. WashU had five turnovers in the final five minutes of play and Austin responded with a 17-7 run to end the half that trimmed the advantage to 33-31.
Frank scored 15 points in the second quarter to lead all scorers at the break. Homoly had 10 points and seven rebounds for WashU. The Bears shot 40.7 percent (11-of-27) from the field but committed 11 turnovers.
Austin opened the third quarter with an 11-3 run to take a 42-36 lead. Botkin canned a three to highlight a 7-2 WashU run to trim the lead to 44-43. That would be as close as the Bears would get as the Kangaroos ended the quarter on a 16-5 run to take a 63-50 lead after three. Frank had 13 points in the quarter as Austin outscored WashU 32-17.
In the fourth quarter, Botkin drilled her fourth three-pointer with 2:04 left to trim the lead to 71-65, but Austin put the game away with a 10-1 run.
Homoly (17 points, 12 rebounds), senior guard Natalie Orr (17 points) and Botkin (15 points, 5-of-6 threes) scored in double figures for WashU, who recorded a season-high 12 steals.
WashU closes out a three-game homestand on Wednesday, Dec. 6, by hosting Greenville University (5-1). Game time is set for 7 p.m.
BEAR NOTEBOOK
• WashU and Austin have split two all-time meetings.
• Botkin leads the UAA shooting 69.2 percent (9-13) from three-point range.
• The Bears had 23 three-pointers in the two games, second most in tournament history behind Oglethorpe's 24.
• Homoly recorded the fifth double-double of her career.
• The Bears shot a season-low 55.6 percent (10-18) from the free-throw line.