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Carnegie Mellon Upsets #12 Rochester

Carnegie Mellon Upsets #12 Rochester

From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics

Senior Liza Otto (Glastonbury, Conn.) of the Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team became the 11th Tartan to score 1,000 career points, as the Tartans defeated 12th-ranked University of Rochester, 95-89, on Sunday, February 21.  The University Athletic Association (UAA) victory improves the Tartans' record to 7-6 in Association play and 18-6 overall while the Yellowjackets are now 19-5, 9-4.  The win over Rochester marked Carnegie Mellon's second over a ranked opponent this season.

With the score tied 15-15 with four minutes to play in the first quarter, Rochester used a 9-2 run over a span of three minutes to take its largest lead of the game. Carnegie Mellon then closed the half scoring the last four points to trail 24-21 at the first break.  Tartan junior Jackie Hudepohl (Saratoga, Calif./Lynbrook (Colgate)) accounted for 10 of the Tartans' points during the frame, as the junior connected on 5-of-6 from the floor.  

Carnegie Mellon took its first lead of the game, 25-24, when Otto connected on a pair of foul shots early in the second quarter.  The lead was short lived, as Alexandra Leslie's jumper on the ensuing possession for the Yellowjackets sparked a 12-4 run which put the visitor's back in front by seven at 36-29 with five minutes to play in the half.  

The Tartans maintained their composure and closed the second quarter on a 14-2 run and took a 43-38 advantage into the break.  After 20 minutes of action, Tartan junior Lisa Murphy (McLean, Va./McLean) led all players with 12 points and 11 rebounds as she secured her 12th double-double of the season with two quarters to play.

Rochester started the second half scoring the first six points and retook the lead. Once again, Otto connected on a pair of foul shots to give the lead back to Carnegie Mellon, but this time it was a lead that the Tartans never surrendered the rest of the game.  The home team led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter following a jumper by Otto at the 2:55 mark and went on to lead 68-59 at quarter's close.

Otto, Hudepohl and Murphy dominated the fourth quarter for the Tartans, as the trio accounted for all 27 of the Cardinal mad Gray's points.  Earlier in the quarter, Otto drained her first of two three-pointers of the period, which gave Carnegie Mellon its largest lead of the game at 73-59.

The Tartans held a huge margin on the boards hauling down 51 to Rochester's 34.  Carnegie Mellon's foul shooting played a factor in the win, as the Tartans shot 92.6% from the line converting 25-of-27.

Hudepohl led the trio of Tartans who scored 20-plus points.  She finished with a career-best 29 and grabbed 10 rebounds to secure her fifth double-double of the season.  Murphy, the nation's leader in field-goal percentage, tabbed 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting and recorded 17 rebounds and five blocks.  Otto also scored a career-high with 26 points.  Senior Lindsay Poss (Poolesville, Md.) chipped in with 10 points in the win.  

Lauren Deming led Rochester with a game-high 29 points.  Three other Yellowjackets each had 12 points, Leslie, Kayla Kibling and Kelsey Hurley. Leslie grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Rochester.