Tartans Falter at Home to NYU

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team could not overcome a double-double by New York University's Bianca Storts at home on Friday, February 3 in a 68-57 loss in University Athletic Association (UAA) action. With the loss, the Tartans fall to 7-12 overall and 1-7 in the UAA while the Violets improve to 10-9 and 2-6.

The Tartans led by as many as seven points in the first half when senior Jennifer Larsen (Exeter, N.H./Exeter) scored in the paint after an offensive rebound by junior Emily Peel (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) to make the score 19-12 with 6:34 to play. Larsen's bucket followed five minutes of action where the Violets converted one free throw and missed on eight shots including four three-pointers.

Freshman Chandler Caufield (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) hit a trey from the left corner for the Tartans last basket of the half with 3:33 to go as the offensive drought for the Tartans led to New York taking a 27-26 halftime lead with a 7-0 run to end the half. Senior Bianca Storts started the run with an and-one play and freshman Whitney Hooper scored a fastbreak layup with 25 seconds to go for the visitors first lead of the game.

The Tartans countered the Violets closing half run with their own 7-2 run to open the second period, taking a 33-29 lead behind four points from Peel.

Two free throws by NYU's senior Cara Bonito tied the score at 35-35 six minutes in and the Violets went on to cling to the lead until sophomore Jacquie Shaw (Portland, Ore./Grant) put the Tartans back ahead 41-40 with a lay-in after a Peel offensive rebound and assist with 9:17 to go.

Shaw's basket would serve as the Tartans last lead as the Violets made 8-of-10 from the field to lead by eight before Bonito finished the final 44 seconds going 6-of-6 from the free throw line for the 11-point victory.

Peel led the Tartans with 19 points on 60% shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Shaw finished with 11 points while freshman Aspen McKeever (Durango, Colo./Durango) scored nine points, all from behind the arc. Larsen led on the boards for the Tartans with 10 rebounds.

Storts tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Violets and Bonito chipped in 16 points and seven rebounds with four assists. Hooper was also big for the Violets, grabbing 12 rebounds off the bench.

The Tartans will next play host to Brandeis University (8-11, 1-7) on Sunday, February 5 at 2:00 p.m. Last week the Judges defeated the Tartans 67-56 in Waltham, Mass.