The Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team picked up its second-straight win, defeating Emory University 63-58 at Horsburgh Gymnasium on Friday night.

The win raised the Spartans' record to 14-9 overall, as the team remained in fourth place in the University Athletic Association with a 6-6 league record.  Emory, which entered the contest on a seven-game winning streak, dropped to 8-4 in conference play with a 17-6 overall record.  The win also gave the Spartans a season sweep of the two-game series with Emory.

Senior guard/forward Hillary Hellmann led all scorers in the game with 21 points and collected 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season.  She shot eight-of-16 for the game, including three-of-five from long range, and added two assists, a block and two steals.  Sophomore forward Emma Cain added 13 points on a six-of-11 shooting effort, and junior guard Alicia Marie Gonzales scored a season-high 10 points, making all three of her attempts from behind the arc.  Graduate student forward Kara Hageman finished two points shy of a double-double, scoring eight and collecting 14 rebounds, to go along with three assists, two blocks and two steals.

A three pointer by Gonzales to open the game got the Spartans off to a strong start, and the team led for the majority of the first quarter with the frame ending in a 12-12 tie.  The teams continued to trade baskets in the second quarter, with the lead changing hands six times during the period.  CWRU led by as many as four in the period, grabbing a 32-28 lead after a jumper by Hageman with 37 seconds remaining, and took a 32-30 lead into halftime.

CWRU led for nearly the entire third quarter, going ahead by as many as five, when a Hellmann three put the Spartans in front 44-39 with 3:36 to play in the period.  However, Emory evened the score at 44-44 with 1:45 to play in the third, and the score remained tied heading into the final period.

Emory took a 51-48 lead with 6:30 left in the game, but a basket by junior guard Kendall McConico, four-straight points for Cain, and a jumper by Hellmann keyed an 8-0 run and put CWRU in front 56-51 with 2:26 remaining.  Emory made one last run, tying the game at 56-56 on a three by Erin Lindahl with 1:29 left, but each of the Spartans' final seven points in the game came on 10 free throw tries in the closing minute of the game, and the CWRU defense held the Eagles to just two points during the stretch, to lock up the win.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 40.7% overall (22-of-54) and 33.3% (seven-of-21) from three-point range.

Ashley Oldshue led Emory with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Allison Chernow added 13 for the Eagles.

The Spartans will be back in action on Sunday, February 17^th, playing host to the University of Rochester at 2:00 p.m. at Horsburgh Gymnasium.