From University of Rochester Athletics
Before the game, the Rochester women's basketball coaching staff honored Alexandra Leslie for reaching the 1,000-point career mark. Then she went out and spent the next 40 minutes showing how she reached 1,000 points.
Led by Leslie's 31 points and 15 rebounds, Rochester earned an 84-75 victory over Emory University in the University Athletic Association opener for both teams.
Lauren Foley scored 12 points for the 22nd-ranked Yellowjackets (10-2 overall, 1-0 UAA) and Lizzy Atkinson added 11 points, including three 3-point goals. Lauren Deming and Brenna James had eight points apiece.
Ashley Oldshue led Emory with 23 points and nine rebounds. Michelle Bevan had 11 points and six rebounds. Emory is 9-3 overall, 0-1 UAA. The Eagles came into the game with three wins in their last four games after starting the season at 6-0.
This has been a banner season for the UAA teams in non-conference games. The eight UAA schools had a combined record of 71 wins and 15 losses. Two of the teams were unbeaten and ranked in the top 10 in the D3hoops.com (Washington is currently #5 and Carnegie Mellon is #10) poll. Both teams lost their UAA opener. NYU, which is ranked #21 in the USA Today/ESPN poll for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, also lost on opening day in the UAA.
Emory put in its bid for a win early in the game. The Eagles hit 13 of 20 shots from the floor in the first quarter (65%) and led, 28-15, after one. EU was ahead, 10-6, before going on a 16-4 scoring spurt to take a 26-10 lead. Benna Ames and Shellie Kanuit scored four points apiece in the run. Rochester's first 10 points all came in the paint. The Yellowjackets finally sank an outside shot when Foley canned a trey from right wing.
Rochester dominated the early part of the second quarter, outscoring Emory, 17-1, over the first four minutes. Leslie scored five points in that burst. James and Atkinson sank three-pointers. Baskets by Deming and Lena Ethington put Rochester ahead, 32-30, with six minutes left. Atkinson scored eight points in the last four minutes of the quarter and Rochester held a 42-38 lead at the half.
The Eagles narrowed the gap to four points three times in the final quarter, the last on two free throws by Oldshue (73-69 with 3:07 left). The Eagles missed two free throws with 2:43 left and Rochester capitalized. Leslie hit a runner in the lane (75-69) and then caught a tough pass in traffic, made the layup, drew a foul, and sank the free throw for a 78-69 lead with 1:51 remaining. She finished the quarter with 15 points.