Higgins Records Seventh Double-Double in a 70-51 Setback at #11 Chicago

(CHICAGO, Ill.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team dropped a 70-51 University Athletic Association (UAA) contest at 11th-ranked University of Chicago on Friday night. Carnegie Mellon moves to 9-14 overall and 1-11 in UAA play while the Maroons are now 21-2 and 12-0.

Carnegie Mellon shot 33.9% for the game and Chicago end the day shooting 38.4%. Sophomore Katharine Higgins (Montclair, N.J.) recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The sophomore ended the nigh perfect from the foul line making all eight of her attempts. Sophomores Laurel Pereira (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) and Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Sophomore Laura Ochsner (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown STEM Academy) recorded a career-best four blocks for the Tartans while junior Jenn Mayberger (Chesterfield, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) tied a career-high with three blocks.

Mia Farrell led the Maroons with a game-high 16 points. Taylor Lake and Olariche Obi ended with 12 and 10 points each.

With the score knotted at 10-10 midway through the first quarter following a layup by Pereira, Chicago rattled off nine straight point and led 19-10. A triple by Pereira at the 2:07 mark stopped the Maroon run, but Chicago maintained its lead and led 23-17 after 10 minutes of play.

Carnegie Mellon scored the first four points of the second quarter and cut the score to 23-21 two minutes in. The Cardinal and Gray continued to hold the Maroons scoreless over the next two minutes, but the Maroons reciprocated by holding the visitor's scoreless over the same span. Chicago's first bucket of the second quarter came at the 5:53 mark and started a 15-2 run to close the frame, as the Maroons led 38-23 at the half.

A jumper by Filiere cut the deficit to 43-33 with 5:30 to play in the third quarter. Chicago then used a 9-2 run to extend its lead to 52-35 and led 54-39 heading into the fourth quarter. After being held scoreless in the first half, Filiere accounted for eight of the Tartans 16 third quarter points.

Chicago sustained a double-digit lead the rest of the way and led by as many as 19 on multiple occasions before going on to the 70-51 win.

The Tartans will travel to St. Louis on Sunday, February 18 to play the Bears of Washington University. Tip is set for 1:00 p.m. CT.