Team Play Leads Tartans to 76-68 Home Win Over Chicago

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team spread the ball to defeat University of Chicago 76-68 on Sunday in University Athletic Association play to advance to 11-7 on the year and 3-4 in the league. Five players scored in double figures while the team assisted on 71% of its baskets.

A three-pointer by freshman Amanda McHenry (Branchburg, N.J./Somerville) with just over two minutes to play broke a 61-61 tie and took the wind out of the sails of Chicago who had stormed back from 13 points down in the second period.

McHenry's trey started a 10-point run by the Tartans who kept the spread in their favor by closing out the last minute making 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Chicago (6-12, 2-5) erased the the 13-point deficit with a 21-8 run over a ten-minute span to tie the game at 55 all with 5:36 to go and took its first lead of the half at 58-57 following two free throws by Paige Womack with 3:59 to play.

The Tartans built a 35-26 halftime lead behind 11 points from sophomore Gabrielle West (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) who finished as the game's leading scorer with 17 points. McHenry also scored double figures in the first half with 10 points and tallied 15 for the game.

Senior Emily Peel (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) and freshman Liza Otto (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) each recorded double-doubles with 12 points and 13 rebounds for the senior and 11 points and 11 rebounds for the freshman. Otto hit a three-pointer to close the first half which pushed the Tartans' lead to nine at the break.

The Maroons were led by Claire Devaney's 14 points as Caitlin Moore and Julie Muguira each scored 13 points. Chicago won the rebounding battle 59-48, but shot just 60% (24-40) from the free throw line and 26.4% for the game to the Tartans' 35% performance from the field and 75% (27-36) performance from the line.

The teams will have a week to prepare for a rematch as the Tartans hit the road for a Friday night contest at Washington University before playing at Chicago on Sunday.