Pittsburgh, Pa., Jan. 19, 2020 – The Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team used a 17-2 run late midway through the fourth quarter to pick up its first conference victory with a 73-67 win at Carnegie Mellon University Sunday in Pittsburgh.
WashU improved to 8-6 and 1-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA), while Carnegie Mellon fell to 7-7 and 0-3 in the UAA.
Freshman Maya Arnott had career-high 16 points and added eight rebounds off the bench, while freshman Sammi Matoush had 16 points on 8-of-10 free throws. Sophomore Samantha Weaver flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, a career-high eight assists and seven rebounds. Senior Kristina Schmelter added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
WashU shot 37.3 percent (25-67) from the field and hit just 6-of-24 from three-point range. The Bears hit 17-of-20 free-throws, had a 47-35 rebounding advantage and turned 15 offensive rebounds into 16 points.
WashU hit just five of their first 14 shots from the field and trailed 22-12 after one quarter. Matoush hit a pair of three-pointers to lead WashU with six points. CMU hit 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the field and had 10-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Bears kept it close in the second quarter having success from three-point range. Freshman Naomi Jackson hit a three to open the quarter, and then freshman Molly Gannon banked in a three to trim the CMU lead to 28-23 with 7:02 before half.
Arnott came off the bench and scored the five of the final seven points of the half for WashU, and her bucket tied the game with 33 seconds left. A turn-around jumper by Schmelter gave the Bears the 35-34 halftime lead.
WashU ended the half on a 12-2 run and outscored CMU 23-12 in the quarter. Matoush and Schmelter led the Bears with eight points each as WashU shot 43.3 percent (13-30) from the field.
Weaver (seven) and Arnott (four) combined to score all 11 points for WashU in the third as the Bears trailed 49-46 heading into the final quarter.
Back-to-back threes from Gannon highlighted an 8-0 run as the Bears tied the score at 55-55 with 5:48 remaining. The made three for WashU was its first of the second half. Arnott scored seven straight points to put the game out of reach at 65-57.
Makayla Filiere led CMU with 16 points, while Caitlyn Clendenin (14), Katie Higgins (13) and Leah Weslock (10) each scored in double figures. The Tartans hit just 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) from the foul line.
WashU opens a four-game homestand with games against Brandeis on Friday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. and New York on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU leads the all-time series with Carnegie Mellon 61-3, and the Bears have won the last 54 contests between the two teams … The Bears have won nine of their last 10 games on Sunday.