ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Mia Farrell completed an off-balance three-point play with 7.7 seconds remaining to give the University of Chicago a 78-75 victory over the University of Rochester in a women's basketball game at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Friday evening.
With the score tied at 75-75 in the final minute, Chicago took possession off a jump ball. With the clock winding down, Farrell drove the left baseline and hit an off-balance 10 footer while drawing a foul from Brenna James. She made the free throw. After a timeout, Tessa Ludwick's three-point shot hit the rim and Chicago rebounded just before the final horn.
The win kept Chicago's hopes alive in the University Athletic Association race. Chicago is 16-5 overall, 7-3 UAA. The Maroons are two games behind Washington University-St. Louis (15-6, 9-1 UAA). Washington lost at Emory University on Friday night (75-66) and comes to Rochester on Sunday afternoon.
Chicago is ranked No. 17 in both the D3hoops.com media poll and the WBCA Coaches Poll. Washington is ranked No. 21 by the coaches and among Others Receiving Votes by D3hoops.com. Each team has four league games left, including the February 23 season finale in St. Louis.
Farrell finished with 13 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Taylor Lake led Chicago with 25 points and seven rebounds. Olariche Obi had 15 points and 10 boards. Miranda Burt hit three three-point goals enroute to 11 points.
Lena Ethington led Rochester with a career high 21 points, nitting 10 of 15 from the floor. Ludwick, in her third straight start, scored 15 points and handed out seven assists. Julianna Okoniewski had 14 points. Ethington led UR on the boards with nine.
Rochester fought back from a double-digit deficit with its defense and rebounding. The Yellowjackets recorded 12 steals off 19 Chicago giveaways and produced 20 points from the turnovers. Rochester had 16 offensive rebounds which translated into 16 second-chance points. James had five steals and six assists. Emma Michaels had three steals.
Chicago led by 10 at the half (38-28) before the hosts started to chip away at the deficit. With UC up, 58-48, in the last minute of the third quarter, Ethington hit a 10 footer outside the lane and Emma Michaels stole the ball for a breakaway layup that got Rochester within 58-52 heading into the last 10 minutes.
At the start of the final quarter, Rochester went on a 14-5 run to take a 66-63 lead with 4:39 left. Ethington scored seven of the points and Okoniewski had four. The lead changed hands three times in the final three minutes.
Rochester is 9-12 overall, 3-7 in the UAA.