From University of Chicago Athletics
Behind a career night by forward Rachel West, the University of Chicago women's basketball team put together its most efficient offensive effort of the year in a 76-64 upset victory at New York University on Friday.
The Maroons (14-9 overall, 6-6 UAA) recorded their third win of the season against a nationally-ranked team. The No. 22-ranked Violets (17-6 overall, 6-6 UAA) have now lost five-straight games in the University Athletic Association (UAA).
UChicago got to the rim early and often during the evening contest en route to a season-best 58 percent shooting performance from the field. Eight different Maroons scored at least four points. West topped her previous career high by nine points, scoring a team-best 20 points. Fellow underclassmen sophomore guard Elizabeth Nye (13) and freshman forward Olariche Obi (12) joined West in double-digit scoring. Nye notably registered a double-double with 10 rebounds in addition to her 13 points.
NYU's offensive attack was led by junior guard Kaitlyn Read (25 points) and senior center Megan Dawe (21 points).
The visitors came out of the gates humming as Obi, Nye and sophomore guard Madison Dunbar all scored to give the Maroons a quick 6-0 advantage. Nye canned a three to give the team 9-5 lead, but the Violets closed the first quarter on a 10-2 run to go up 15-11.
West scored UChicago's first 10 points of the second quarter, hitting two threes and getting to the rim twice to tie the score at 21 with 6:28 left in the half. Just over three minutes later, the score was locked again, this time at 27. Over the remainder of the half, the two teams traded runs; first the Maroons went on a 6-0 streak, then the Violets answered with their own 5-0 run to cut the UChicago advantage to 33-32 going into the break.
West's 12 points led the squad in first-half scoring while Read's 15 paced the Violets. The visitors shot 65 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
NYU scored the first six points of the second half only for the Maroons to charge back with their own 8-0 run. NYU connected from deep to tie the score at 43 with 1:53 left in the quarter. Obi scored six points over the final 1:10 for UChicago, putting the visitors up 49-45 going into the fourth.
In the final quarter, the Violets remained in striking distance early but never got within four points. From the 5:20 mark onwards, the Maroons led by at least eight points. Two Nye free throws with less than 40 seconds left in the game accounted for the final score of 76-64, giving the sophomore guard eight points in the second half.
UChicago found success getting to the rim rather than relying on their characteristic three-point prowess. The Maroons played a physical brand of basketball, winning the blocks (4-0), points in the paint (50-40) and rebounding (34-25) categories. Junior guard Stephanie Anderson (8), junior forward Britta Nordstrom (8) and freshman guard Alyssa Clemente (5) gave the visitors a 21-9 advantage in bench points. Turnovers went in favor of NYU 19-16.
UChicago Team Stats & Leaders
Field-goal Percentage – 58.0 percent (29-50)
Three-point Percentage – 30.8 percent (4-13)
Free-throw Percentage – 66.7 percent (14-21)
Rachel West (Forward, Fr.) – 20 points, 4 rebounds
Elizabeth Nye (Guard, So.) – 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists
Olariche Obi (Forward, Fr.) – 12 points, 6 rebounds
NYU Team Stats & Leaders
Field-goal Percentage – 45.0 percent (27-60)
Three-point Percentage – 28.6 percent (4-14)
Free-throw Percentage – 66.7 percent (6-9)
Kaitlyn Read – 25 points, 8 rebounds
Megan Dawe – 21 points, 5 rebounds