From University of Chicago Athletics
The University of Chicago women's basketball team nailed three-pointers and free throws all night to best St. Vincent College 84-68 at the Hope College Post Exam Jam on Friday.
The Maroons improved to 3-4 and dealt the Bearcats (6-1) their first loss of the season.
UChicago started strong by scoring the opening seven points of the game. The team made five of its first eight shots to expand its lead to 15-6. A steal and three-pointer by sophomore guard Stephanie Anderson gave the Maroons their biggest lead of the half at 18-8.
St. Vincent started to come back and got within one point at 32-31 after some costly UChicago turnovers. But every time the Bearcats got close, the Maroons answered. Junior guard Caitlin Moore hit a free throw and a trey to make the score 36-31. UChicago was successful all half from long distance, hitting 6 of 13 on threes to take a 41-39 lead at halftime.
UChicago spread the wealth as nine different players scored in the opening 20 minutes. Moore led the team with seven points while three others had six points each. The Maroons shot 48 percent on field goals.
With a slim lead in hand after the break, UChicago quickly got going with eight-straight points in the paint. St. Vincent got closer at 49-45, and the Maroons surged away once again, embarking on a 16-5 run. Senior guard Ali Shaw hit a jumper in the paint and a three-pointer during that time.
Senior forward Claire Devaney stepped outside the three-point arc to nail a jumper and Anderson's two free throws made the score 70-56 with just under seven minutes remaining. Another Devaney three and four free throws by sophomore forward Britta Nordstrom put the Maroons ahead for good at 80-67. UChicago closed out the game from there in the final minutes.
UChicago made 10 of 21 three-pointers – its highest percentage of the year (47.6). The Maroons were also lights out from the free throw line, making 22 of 24 (91.7 percent). Nordstrom went 11-for-11 from the charity stripe herself. UChicago also won the rebounding battle 43-34, while St. Vincent had the turnover advantage 22-19.
UChicago Team Stats & Leaders
Field-goal Percentage – 44.8 percent (26-58)
Three-point Percentage – 47.6 percent (10-21)
Free-throw Percentage – 91.7 percent (22-24)
Claire Devaney (Forward, Sr.) – 16 points, 5 rebounds
Britta Nordstrom (Forward, So.) – 15 points, 9 rebounds
Ali Shaw (Guard, Sr.) – 12 points
Stephanie Anderson (Guard, So.) – 12 points