Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2019 – A 20-0 second quarter run sprang the No. 25-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team securely ahead of Case Western Reserve University as the Bears captured their 10th straight victory by a score of 81-62 during the Spartans Throwback Weekend in the Adelbert Gymnasium on Sunday.
WashU moved to 15-5 overall on the season, including a 9-0 mark in University Athletic Association (UAA) play. The 10th straight win is the most since a 14-game winning streak during the 2016-17 season. WashU also matched its win total in the UAA from a season ago with five contests remaining. CWRU fell to 12-8 overall and 4-5 in UAA play.
Senior guard Becca Clark-Callender totaled a career-high 22 points as she drained several free-throws down the stretch to maintain the Bears double digit lead. She knocked down 10-of-12 free-throws while also connecting on 6-of-8 shots from the field in addition to six rebounds and four assists.
Junior center Kristina Schmelter contributed 14 points off the bench to help WashU to a 21-17 edge in points off the bench. In total, five Bears reached double figures in scoring including senior guard Caroline Ballard (14), senior guard Rachael Sondag (12) and senior forward Madeline Homoly (10). WashU converted 18-of-21 attempts from the free-throw line while only sending the Spartans to the line for eight shots in which they sank six attempts.
WashU trailed 24-19 with more than six minutes to go in the second quarter before the Bears turned a five-point deficit into a 15-point lead. Clark-Callender found Homoly for an open jumper to initiate the 20-0 run. WashU's offense scored all 20 points in less than five minutes of play with several baskets by Clark-Callender, Schmelter and multiple three-pointers by Sondag.
The Spartans hit the final two shots of the first half and closed the gap to 39-28 heading into the break. CWRU continued with a run of its own at the start of the third quarter by scoring the first seven points of the frame. The Spartans held WashU in check for nearly six minutes to start the second half before a three-pointer by Ballard broke the Bears drought.
WashU totaled 14 points in the third quarter while CWRU scored 18 which proved to be the only quarter the Bears did not outscore the Spartans. Alyssa Hyland hit a shot from beyond the arc with 4:04 remaining in the game which cut the Bears lead below double digits for the last time, 62-54.
Clark-Callender closed out the game with 13 of WashU's final 19 points including 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Kara Hageman was the lone Spartan to reach double digits in scoring while matching Clark-Callender's game-high total of 22 points. Hyland and Hillary Hellmann each totaled nine points apiece.
WashU will travel to Emory for a 6 p.m. (ET) tip-off on Friday, Feb. 8 before a road game against Rochester on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. (ET). Be sure to stay up to date on all your Bears scores and awards by following @WashUBears on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.