Double-Doubles Lead Tartans Over Allegheny 72-56

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Senior Emily Peel (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) and freshman Lindsay Poss (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) recorded double-doubles as the Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team defeated Allegheny College 72-56 at home on Tuesday night in Skibo Gymnasium. The Tartans are now 6-2 on the year as the Gators fall to 3-3.

A back-and-forth first period saw the Tartans lead 32-30 at the break as both teams made 12 baskets from the field. The Tartans led by as many as six points when Poss hit a free throw with 5:37 to go. The Gators led once, at the 13:06 mark, after Makenzie Zidek hit a jumper to make it 8-7.

Peel shot 5-of-6 from the floor in the first period and led the Tartans with 13 points and seven rebounds while sophomore Gabrielle West (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) hit two shots from behind-the-arc and assisted on three baskets.

Peel continued with the hot hand throughout the second period as she finished with four more baskets and grabbed another seven boards for season highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds.

The Tartans opened the second half with points on four straight possessions and were ahead 40-37 after a pair of free throws by Allegheny's Kaitlyn Fromknecht before rattling off a 13-2 run that included three consecutive three-pointers, to put the game out of reach. Sophomore Chandler Caufield (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) hit the first to put the Tartans up 47-39 and then assisted on back-to-back triples by West causing the Gators to call a timeout down 53-39 with 11 minutes to play.

Allegheny could not rebound from the double-digit deficit despite the Tartans only making six of their final 18 shots from the field as the Gators shot just 25% (5-20) themselves over the final 11 minutes. Carnegie Mellon kept the lead in double digits by making 7-of-10 shots from the free throw line, including a 4-for-4 performance from Caufield.

Poss finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds to record her first career double-double while junior Jacquie Shaw (Portland, Ore./Grant) tallied a season-high 15 ponts and grabbed six reounds. West also scored in double figures as she finished with 14 points, hitting a season-high four three pointers.

The Tartans again outrebounded their opponent, grabbing 49 boards to Allegheny's 38 and are now 6-0 when leading at the half.

The team will have a break in game action until the end of December when they host Westminster College at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 29.