From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University sophomore guard Kendall McConico matched her career-high with 23 points and junior forward Hillary Hellmann notched a double-double with 16 points and a career-best 13 rebounds to lead the Spartans past the Brandeis University Judges 73-70 on Throwback Weekend at Adelbert Gymnasium on Friday night.
McConico knocked down six-of-eight shots from the floor in the game and one of her two three-point tries, and added a 10-of-18 performance at the free throw line to lead all scorers in the game. She added four assists and five rebounds in the game. Hellmann made six of her 14 attempts from the field and converted three three-pointers, while collecting her fourth double-double of the season and 10th of her career. Freshmen forwards Megan Shanosky and Emma Cain each scored 11 in the game.
McConico help spur the Spartans to a first half lead with 15 points during the opening two quarters to lead all players, while Shanosky scored eight points in the first quarter alone. With Brandeis leading 17-10 with 1:49 to play in the opening period, a three-pointer by Shanosky and layups by McConico and Cain tied the game at 17-17 with 20 seconds remaining, before a three at the buzzer by Brandeis' Eva Hart gave the Judges the lead back.
The Judges would lead by as many as seven in the second period as well, but another strong finish to a period helped the Spartans take a lead into halftime. A three-pointer by junior forward Alexis Amburgey with 3:33 to go in the half tied the game at 33-33, and another three by McConico with 2:08 remaining put the Spartans ahead for the first time since the opening minutes of play. After a Brandeis' basket, a pair of free throws by McConico in the closing second of the half put CWRU ahead 37-34 heading into the break. As a team, CWRU closed out the first half shooting 45.8% (11-of-24) overall and five-of-11 from behind the three-point line.
A three pointer to start the third period by Hellmann gave CWRU its largest lead of the game, 40-34, but a 10-3 run by the Judges gave them a one-point lead with 6:04 left in the third. The score would continue to change hands throughout the third, with a free throw by McConico with 1:08 to go in the quarter tying the game at 51-51 heading into the final period.
With the score still tied with 6:52 remaining in the game, the Spartans launched on an 11-0 run over a four-minute, 26 second stretch, capped off by a three-pointer by freshman guard Emily Todd with 2:59 to play that put CWRU ahead 65-54. Brandeis would cut into the lead, trimming it down to just a point after a three-pointer by Katherine Puda with 23 seconds to go. However, McConico and Shanosky each knocked down free throws in the closing seconds to help secure the victory, and a three-pointer late by Brandeis would miss the mark, as the Spartans held on for the win.
CWRU finished the game shooting 45.8% overall (22-for-48) and 33.3% (eight-of-24) from long range.
The victory was the first University Athletic Association win of the season for the Spartans, who improved to 4-14 overall and 1-7 in the conference. Brandeis dropped to 11-7 overall with a 3-5 UAA mark.
Camila Casanueva led the Judges with 16 points on Friday, while Hannah Nicholson added 11 points and 11 rebounds in the game for Brandeis.