Box Score In a battle of two top-20 Division III programs, the Washington University women's basketball team held off the Emory women's squad to earn an overtime victory at the Woodruff PE Center. The No. 3-ranked Bears of WU upped their overall record to 12-1, 2-0 in the University Athletic Association, with a 56-53 verdict over the Eagles who slipped to 11-2 in overall play, 1-1 in the league.
In a defensive tug-of-war that saw both teams score well below their season average, Emory ended the evening shooting 29.2 percent from the field (21-of-72) compared to WU's effort of 34.9 percent (22-of-63). The Eagles had trouble finding the range from three-point distance, sinking just 4-of-23 opportunities while Wash U was successful on just three-of-10 attempts. The Bears did manage to post a 54-41 advantage on the glass, but Emory countered that with a quick and swarming defense that forced 29 WU turnovers that led to 21 points.
Junior Selena Castillo turned in a breakout game with a career-high tying 15 points, hitting six-of-13 field goal attempts, including three three-pointers. Castillo also tied for the squad's high with three steals, her fifth straight and 11th outing of the year with two or more thefts. Senior Misha Jackson posted her sixth double-double of the year with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Jackson also tied the school's single-game record with six blocked shots.
In a closely played first half that saw seven ties, Emory used an 11-4 run over a 5:07 stretch that snapped a 19-19 deadlock and gave it a 30-23 advantage with 14 seconds on the clock. However, WU sliced into that deficit when a three-pointer by Kaybeth Biewen with seven ticks left eventually sent the teams into halftime with Emory up by a 30-26 count. Jackson paced the Eagles offensive effort during the first 20 minutes with eight points while Castillo and junior Hannah Lilly each chipped in seven points.
The second half saw both teams dig in on their defensive ends of the floor. Emory held a 36-30 lead with 14:17 remaining following a bucket by senior Danielle Landry but a 7-0 Bears run, capped by a triple by Biewen, put the Bears ahead by a point with 11:36 left. WU still held a 45-42 edge with 5:46 on the clock before a jumper by Castillo cut the visitor's lead to one point. After a WU basket, a layup by Jackson, followed by a dramatic trey by Castillo with 1:51 left in the game put Emory ahead by a 49-47 margin. After a Bears' turnover, Emory had a chance to put more distance between it and WU but missed three shot opportunities. With 12 seconds left in regulation, a basket by Jordan Rettig knotted the game at 49 apiece.
In the overtime, Emory hit just one-of-eight field goal attempts, that being a triple by Castillo. WU scored the first five points of the extra session and still maintained a five-point margin before Castillo's trey with 42 seconds left. After a foul shot by the Bears with 2.8 seconds left gave them a three-point margin and they survived a Emory three-point attempt at the buzzer to escape with the victory.
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 13) when they host Chicago in a 2:00 pm tip.
