Free Throws Lead Tartans to OT Victory Against Waynesburg

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Sophomore Katharine Higgins (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) scored a career-high 25 points and the Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team recorded an 81-72 overtime victory at home against Waynesburg University on Tuesday, December 19. The Tartans improve to 7-2 for the season while the Yellow Jackets drop to 5-4.

Twelve overtime points by Higgins, with an 8-of-8 showing from the free throw line in the final five minutes, propelled the Tartans to the nine-point victory. The sophomore also recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. Sophomore Laurel Pereira (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) tied her career-high with 20 points after recording one point through the first quarter. Junior Jenn Mayberger (Chesterfield, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) scored a season-high eight points and pulled down a career-best 12 boards while sophomore Laura Ochsner (Chester Springs, Pa./Dowingtown STEM Academy) earned her first career double-double with career-highs of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Yellow Jackets had a three-point (37-34) halftime lead that was erased by the Tartans early in the third quarter when Ochsner scored on a putback to tie the game at 38-38 less than two minutes in. The Tartans would then lead by as many as five points on three ocassions in the quarter and held that lead going into the fourth quarter break.

The lead remained in the hands of the Tartans until Mackenna Drazich hit two free throws with 46 seconds to play to give Waynesburg a 63-62 lead. Higgins tied the game on the next possession with a free throw and a long jumper by Rachel Eng hit iron as time expired pushing the game to overtime.

The Tartans, who have struggled from the free throw line for the year shooting just 66.7% coming into the game, hit 12-of-13 from the charity stripe in overtime. They built a nine-point lead with two buckets by Higgins while making 8-of-8 from the line between Higgins, Ochsner, and sophomore Megan Jaeb (San Jose, Calif./Presentation).

The Yellow Jackets, who entered the contest shooting 70.4% from the free throw line, struggled all game finishing with just 12 made in 26 attempts.

Drazich led the Yellow Jackets with 18 points while Addy Knetzer and Monica Starre each recorded double-doubles with 11 boards apiece to go with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Carnegie Mellon will be back in action on Friday, December 29 at the Hoops for Hope Tournament hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University. The Tartans play Albion College at 8:00 p.m.