Case Western Reserve University Head Coach Jennifer Reimer secured her 300th career victory as the Spartan women's basketball team defeated The College of Wooster 95-70 on Friday night at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio. On the season, the Spartans improve to 4-6, while the Fighting Scots fall to 4-5.
CWRU Head Coach Jennifer Reimer talks to Ron Jantz after her 300th win:
In her 13 seasons with the Spartans, Reimer already ranks as the winningest coach in the history of the women's basketball program with 143 wins. In addition to her time at CWRU, she has also coached at Juniata (1997-98, five wins), Mount Union (1998-2000, 32 wins) and Allegheny (2000-07, 120 wins), across 23 total seasons.
Five Spartans scored in double figures, with sophomore guard/forward Abbey Lawrence leading the team with 24 points, including 20 in the first half. First-year guard/forward Isabella Mills recorded her second consecutive double-double and her fourth of the season with 13 points and a team-leading 13 rebounds. Mills also added a career-high seven assists. Sophomore guard Alyssa Hyland had a career-high 19 points, senior guard Kendall McConico scored 12 points and set a career-high with five steals, and first-year guard McKenna Gross had 10 points.
CWRU shot 53.1% from the field, including 43.5% from three-point range on the night.
The Spartans opened an early 10-4 lead midway through the first quarter, with McConico and Lawrence each scoring four points. A three-pointer from Mills gave CWRU a 15-5 lead, but the Wooster cut the deficit to just six with three minutes to play in the quarter. Case Western Reserve went on an 11-4 run to end the quarter, giving the team a 26-13 lead. The 26 points are the tied for the most the Spartans have scored in an opening quarter this season.
Midway through the second quarter, McConico made a pair of free throws to put the Spartans up 20, 41-21. Hyland pushed the advantage to 24, 49-25, with a three-pointer a few minutes later. Wooster cut into the advantage over the final two minutes, and, at halftime, the Spartans led 50-34. Lawrence finished the first half with 20 points.
CWRU opened a 26-point lead less than a minute in the fourth quarter, 76-50, its largest of the night. The Scots cut the deficit to as few as 19 in the fourth, but the Spartans prevailed 95-70.
The Spartans will take 13 days off from competition for the holidays before returning to the hardcourt on Thursday, January 2 when the team will host Chatham in its final non-conference game of the season. Tip off from Horsburgh Gymnasium is scheduled for 6 p.m.