Tartan Offense Solid in 30-Point Road Win

(GROVE CITY, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team moved its record to 2-1 on the season behind its best offensive performance to date, defeating Grove City College 73-43 on Tuesday night in Grove City, Pa. The Tartans recorded season highs in all shooting categories, assists and rebounds, while holding the Wolverines (1-3) to its worst offensive performance of the season.

The Tartans jumped out to an 8-0 lead which grew to 22 points during the first half before leading at the break, 38-28. Freshman guard MacKenzie Boyd (Plano, Texas/Plano West) hit back-to-back three-pointers seven minutes into the game to extend the Tartans' lead to 14-3 and followed them with an assist on junior Emily Peel's (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) and-one layup, before Grove City's Kelsey Shirey stopped the bleeding with a trey of her own.

The offense continued to shine for the Tartans, especially from behind the arc, as freshman Gabrielle West (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) hit three pointers on consecutive possessions before fellow freshman Aspen McKeever (Durango, Colo./Durango) nailed a trey on the Tartans next trip down court for the 22-point lead, 28-6, with 9:11 to go in the half.

The Wolverines clawed their way back into the game but not before Boyd hit two additional shots from behind the arc, giving the Tartans seven made for the half. Boyd also found her teammates three times while freshman Chandler Caufield (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) scored a bucket and assisted on three others.

The second half began much like the first as the Tartans went on a 13-2 run with West having her hand in four straight scoring plays for the visitors. The freshman first hit back-to-back jumpers and then assisted on two layups by sophomore Jacquie Shaw (Portland, Ore./Grant).

Carnegie Mellon moved their lead to 28 points with four-and-a-half minutes to play on two free throws by Peel, who later scored two more baskets to lead the team in scoring with 16 points for the game. She also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for a new career-high and her second double-double of the year.

For the game, the Tartans shot 50% from the floor, 47.1% from behind the arc and 100% from the charity stripe, while recording 18 assists and 48 rebounds. Boyd and West each finished with 14 points while junior Elissa Goldner (Somers, N.Y./The Ursuline School) grabbed seven rebounds.

The Wolverines were led by Leah Gibson's 10 points and Jayme Caldwell's six rebounds, as the team shot 25.7% from the floor.

The Tartans next face Denison University on Saturday, November 26 at 4:00 p.m. as part of the UAA/NCAC Challenge hosted by Case Western Reserve University.