Second-Half Comeback Falls Short for Tartans

(WASHINGTON, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team's second-half comeback fell short at Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday, November 30 as the Tartans fell 87-86 in the closing seconds. Freshman Lisa Murphy (McLean, Va./McLean) led the Tartans (5-1) with her second double-double of the season while junior Gabrielle West (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) shot 50% from behind the arc to score a team-high 23 points.

The Tartans found themselves down at halftime for the first time this season, 50-33, and chipped away at the deficit throughout the second half, eventually tying the game at 68-68 with 7:49 to play on a jumper by freshman Sade Idera (Morris Plains, N.J./Morris Catholic).

On the next possession, Murphy gave the Tartans their first lead of the game since the opening basket with a layup assisted by junior Chandler Caufield (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny).

The teams traded hoops until the Tartans took their largest lead of the game at 84-78 when Murphy made a layup and West drained a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions.

The President's (2-2) answered with a 7-0 run and took back the lead, 85-84 on two free throws by Chelsea Apke, the game's high scorer.

Murphy scored her 21st point of the game with 24 seconds to play, giving the Tartans a one-point lead but Apke converted on the other end with 12 seconds left to swing things back to the home team.

A West jumper at the buzzer fell short giving the President's the 87-86 victory.

Murphy finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor. West shot 9-of-18 from the floor, including 5-of-10 from behind the arc to tally her 23 points. Idera also scored in double figures with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

Caufield recorded a career-high seven assists as sophomore Liza Otto (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) had seven rebounds and four assists.

Apke finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds while Beka Belhy dropped in 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Kara Seamon and Alexa DelGreco also scored in double figures with 17 and 11 points, respectively while Valerie Dunlap was big on the glass with 10 boards.

The Tartans return to the hardwood on Sunday, December 1 when they travel to John Carroll University (2-0) for a 2:00 p.m. tip.